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Romances  of  Old  Japan 

Rendered  into  English 
from  Japanese  Sources 


By 

Madame  Yukio  Ozaki 


Fivst  printed  October  igig 
Reprinted   February    1920 


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What  was  his  breathless  amazement  to  see  that  the  picture  he  so  much  admired  had 
actually  taken  life  .  .  .  and  was  gliding  lightly  towards  him  (see  p.  126) 


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Printed  in  Great  Britain 


Contents 

PAGE 

The  Quest  of  the  Sword  i 

The  Tragedy  of  Kesa  Gozen  57 

The  Spirit  of  the  Lantern  81 

The  Reincarnation  of  Tama  97 

The  Lady  of  the  Picture  119 

Urasato,  or  The  Crow  of  Dawn  135 

tsubosaka  159 
Loyal,  even  unto  Death  ;    or  The 

Sugawara  Tragedy  177 

How  Kinu  Returned  from  the  Grave  221 

A  Cherry-Flower  Idyll  239 

The  Badger-Haunted  Temple  263 


m  30* 


Illustrations 


Facing  page 

What  was  his  breathless  amazement  to  see  that  the 
picture  he  so  much  admired  had  actually  taken  life  .  .  . 
and  was  gliding  lightly  towards  him  Frontispiece 

Mortally  wounded,  both  men  fell  to  the  ground,  and  so 
fatal  had  been  Jurobei's  thrusts  that  in  a  few  minutes 
they  breathed  their  last  8 

The  unhappy  mother  sadly  followed  with  her  eyes  the 
pathetic  little  figure  disappearing  on  her  unknown 
path  28 

Gunbei    had  watched    the  execution  of    his    cruel    order 

from  the  veranda  50 

Yendo  draws  his  sword,  when  between  him  and  the  victim  of 

his  vengeance  there  darts  the  lovely  Kesa  70 

Wataru  little  dreams  that  it  is  the  last  cup  his  wife  will 

ever  drink  with  him  72 

To  his  unspeakable  horror  and  amazement  the  moonlight 

reveals  the  head  of  Kesa — his  love  !  76 

His  grandfather  had  been  a  retainer  of  Ota  Dokan  .  .     and 

had  committed  suicide  when  his  lord  fell  in  battle  82 

He  glared  fiercely  at  the  apparition,  and  then,  half  un- 
consciously, turned  for  the  samurai's  only  safeguard, 
his  sword  84 

Tama's  father  was  delighted  when  Hayashi  proved  to  be 
an  expert  at  go,  and  often  asked  him  to  come  and 
spend  the  evening  102 

He  was  suddenly  startled    to  see  a   girlish    form    coming 

towards  him  in  the  wavering  shadows  106 

Hayashi  visits  the  temple  where  his  lost  love  was  buried 
and  dedicates  his  whole  life  to  praying  for  the  repose 
of  her  soul  no 

"When  I  was  eighteen  years  of  age,  bandits  .  .  .  made  a 

raid  on  our  village  and  .  .  .  carried  me  away  "  128 

vii 


Illustrations 


Facing  page 

When  the  bride  was  led  into  the  room  and  seated  opposite 
Toshika,  what  was  his  bewildering  delight  to  see  that 
she  was  .  .  .  the  lady-love  of  his  picture  132 

Urasato's  escape  from  the  Yamana-Ya  136 

As  she  spoke,  Urasato   leaned    far  out  over  the  balcony, 

the  picture  of  youth,  grace  and  beauty  140 

O  Tatsu  .  .  .  took  her  stand  behind  Urasato,  and  with  deft 

fingers  put  the  disordered  coiffure  to  rights  142 

Sawaichi,  turning  his  sightless  face  towards  the  altar, 
repeated  the  Buddhist  invocation  :  "  Namu  Amida 
Butsu!"  168 

There  in  the  grey  light  of  the  breaking  dawn,  she  could  see 
the  lifeless  form  of  her  husband  stretched  upon  the 
ground  172 

"  Listen,  Sawaichi  !  "  said  the  Heavenly  Voice,  "  Through 
the  faith  of  your  wife  and  the  merits  of  her  accumulated 
prayers,  your  lives  shall  be  prolonged  "  174 

'  This   is   the   head   of   Kanshusai,    the   son   of   the   Lord 

Sugawara  !  "  208 

The  box,  which  served  her  as  a  shield,  was  speedily  cut  in 
two,  and  there  appeared,  unfolding  and  fluttering  in  the 
breeze,  a  little  winding-sheet  and  a  sacred  banner  for 
the  dead  212 

"  No,  no,"  said  Matsuo  .  .      "  this  is  not  the  body  of  my 

boy.     We  are  going  to  bury  our  young  lord  !  "  218 

From  earliest  times  Kinu  and  Kunizo  were  accustomed  to 

play  together  224 

Her  ghastly  face  and  blood-stained  garments  struck  terror 

to  the  souls  of  the  petrified  spectators  232 

Kunizo,   almost    beside    himself  with    happiness,    did    his 

utmost  to  minister  to  his  beloved  lady  234 

Suddenly  a  young  girl  appeared  from   the  gloom  as  if  by 

magic !  244 

His  beautiful  hostess,  seating  herself  beside  the  koto,  began 

to  sing  a  wild  and  beautiful  air  24S 

viii 


Illustrations 


Facing  page 

An  old  priest  suddenly  appeared  .  .  .  staff  in  hand  and 

clad  in  ancient  and  dilapidated  garments  258 

What  was  the  young  man's  astonishment  to  see  a  pretty 

young  girl  standing  just  within  the  gate  266 

Suddenly  he  saw  that  the  three  performers  had  become 
headless  !  .  .  .  Like  children  playing  a  game  of  ball, 
they  tossed  their  heads  from  one  to  the  other  272 

In  one  of  the  dark  corners  of  the  temple-chamber,  they 

came  upon  the  dead  body  of  an  old,  old  badger  276 


IX 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 


His  old  widowed  mother  would  not  die  happy  unless 
he  were  rehabilitated,  and  to  this  end  he  knew  that 
she  and  his  faithful  wife,  O  Yumi,  prayed  daily 
before  the  family  shrine. 

How  often  had  he  racked  his  brains  to  find  some 
way  bv  which  it  were  possible  to  prove  his  unchang- 
ing fidelity  to  Shusen  ;  for  the  true  big-hearted  fellow 
never  resented  his  punishment,  but  staunchly  believed 
that  the  ties  which  bound  him  to  his  lord  were  in  no 
wise  annulled  by  the  separation. 

At  last  the  long-awaited  opportunity  had  come. 
In  obedience  to  the  mandate  of  the  Shogun  Ieyasu 
that  the  territorial  nobles  should  reside  in  his  newly 
established  capital  of  Yedo  during  six  months  of  the 
year,  the  Daimio  of  Tokushima  proceeded  to  Yedo 
accompanied  by  a  large  retinue  of  samurai,  amongst 
whom  were  his  chief  retainers,  the  rivals  Shusen 
Sakurai  and  Gunbei  Onota. 

Like  a  faithful  watchdog,  alert  and  anxious,  Jurobei 
had  followed  Shusen  at  a  distance,  unwilling  to  let 
him  out  of  his  sight  at  this  critical  time,  for  Gunbei 
Onota  was  the  sworn  enemy  of  Shusen  Sakurai. 
Bitter  envy  of  his  rival's  popularity,  and  especially 
of  his  senior  rank  in  the  Daimio's  service,  had  always 
rankled  in  the  contemptible  Gunbei's  mind.  For  years 
he  had  planned  to  supplant  him,  and  Jurobei  knew 
through  traitors  that  the  honest  vigilance  of  his 
master  had  recently  thwarted  Gunbei  in  some  of  his 
base  schemes,  and  that  the  latter  had  vowed  im- 
mediate vengeance. 

4 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

Jurobei's  soul  burned  within  him  as  this  sequence  of 
thoughts  rushed  through  his  brain.  The  tempest  that 
whirled  round  him  seemed  to  be  in  harmony  with 
the  emotions  that  surged  in  tumult  through  his  heart. 

More  than  ever  did  it  devolve  on  him  to  see  that 
his  master  was  properly  safeguarded.  To  do  this  suc- 
cessfully he  must  once  more  become  his  retainer.  So 
Jurobei  with  vehement  resolution  clenched  his  hands 
over  the  handle  of  his  umbrella  and  rushed  onwards. 

Now  it  happened  that  same  night  that  Gunbei,  in  a 
sudden  fit  of  jealous  rage  and  chagrin,  knowing  that 
his  rival  was  on  duty  at  the  Daimio's  Palace,  and 
that  he  would  probably  return  alone  after  night-fall, 
ordered  two  of  his  men  to  proceed  to  Shusen's  house 
and  to  waylay  and  murder  Shusen  on  his  road  home. 
Once  and  for  all  he  would  remove  Shusen  Sakurai  from 
his  path. 

Meanwhile  Jurobei  arrived  at  Shusen's  house,  and 
in  the  heavy  gloom  collided  violently  with  the  two 
men  who  were  lying  in  ambush  outside  the  gate. 

"  Stop  !  "  angrily  cried  the  assassins,  drawing  their 
swords  upon  him. 

Jurobei,  recognizing  their  voices  and  his  quick  wit 
at  once  grasping  the  situation,  exclaimed  : 

"  You  are  Gunbei's  men  !  Have  you  come  to  kill 
my  lord  ?  " 

"  Be  assured  that  that  is  our  intention,"  replied 
the  confederates. 

"  I  pray  you  to  kill  me  instead  of  my  lord," 
implored  Jurobei. 

5 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 


"  We  have  come  for  your  master  and  we  must  have 
his  life  as  well  as  yours.  I  have  not  forgotten  how 
you  cut  me  to  pieces  seven  years  ago.  I  shall  enjoy 
paying  back  those  thrusts  with  interest,"  returned 
one  of  them  sharply. 

Jurobei  prostrated  himself  in  the  mud  before  them. 
"  I  care  not  what  death  you  deal  me,  so  long  as  you 
accept  my  life  instead  of  my  lord's.  I  humbly  beg 
of  you  to  grant  my  petition." 

Instead  of  answering,  one  of  the  miscreants  con- 
temptuously kicked  him  as  he  knelt  there. 

Jurobei,  whose  ire  was  now  thoroughly  provoked, 
seized  the  offending  leg  before  its  owner  had  time  to 
withdraw  it,  and  holding  it  in  a  clutch  like  iron,  in- 
quired : 

"  Then  you  do  not  intend  to  grant  my  request  ?  ' 

"  Certainly  not !  "  sneered  the  wretches. 

Jurobei  sprang  to  his  feet  and  faced  them.  With- 
out more  ado  they  both  set  upon  him  with  their 
weapons. 

Overhead  the  storm  increased  in  violence.  The 
floodgates  of  heaven  were  opened,  peals  of  heavy 
thunder  shook  the  earth  with  their  dull  reverberations, 
and  the  inky  skies  were  riven  with  blinding  flash  upon 
flash  of  forked  lightning,  which  lit  up  the  dark  forms 
and  white  faces  of  the  combatants,  and  glinted  on 
their  swords  as  they  parried  and  clashed  together  in 
mortal  strife. 

Now  Jurobei  was  an  expert  swordsman  of  unusual 
and  supple  strength.  He  defended  himself  with 
6 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

skill  and  ferocity,  and  soon  his  superiority  began 
to  tell  against  the  craven  couple  who  were  attacking 
him.  It  was  not  long  before  they  realized  that 
they  were  no  match  for  such  a  powerful  adversary, 
and  turned  to  flee.  But  Jurobei  was  too  quick  for 
them,  and  before  they  could  escape  he  cut  them  down. 

Mortally  wounded,  both  men  fell  to  the  ground, 
and  so  fatal  had  been  Jurobei's  thrusts  that  in  a  few 
minutes  they  breathed  their  last. 

By  this  time,  the  fury  of  the  storm  having  spent 
itself,  the  sky  gradually  lifted  and  the  moon  shone 
forth  in  silver  splendour  between  the  masses  of  clouds 
as  they  rolled  away,  leaving  the  vast  blue  vault  above 
clear  and  radiant  and  scintillating  with  stars. 

Jurobei  raised  a  jubilant  face  heavenwards  and 
thanked  the  gods  for  the  victory.  He  had  rescued 
his  master  from  death.  He  felt  that  the  sacrifices 
that  he  and  O  Yumi  had  made  in  the  past — the  break- 
ing up  of  the  old  home  and  the  parting  from  their 
baby-daughter  and  the  old  mother — had  not  been  in 
vain.  The  prescience,  which  had  warned  him  that 
evil  was  hanging  over  Shusen,  and  which  had  made 
him  so  restless  and  uneasy  of  late,  had  been  fulfilled, 
and  he  had  forestalled  the  dastardly  intention  of 
the  treacherous  Gunbei  and  his  two  scoundrels. 

In  the  stillness  after  the  tumult  of  the  fray,  Jurobei's 
ear  caught  the  sound  of  approaching  footsteps.  Turn- 
ing in  the  direction  from  whence  they  came,  there  in 
the  bright  moonlight  he  clearly  discerned  the  form 
of  his  beloved  master,  crossing  the  bridge. 

7 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

"  Oh,  my  lord  !  Is  it  you  ?  Are  you  safe  ?  "  he 
exclaimed. 

"  Who  is  it  ?  "  demanded  the  startled  samurai. 
"  Ah — it  is  Jurobei !  What  brings  you  here  at  this 
hour  ?  "  Then  noticing  the  two  lifeless  bodies  lying 
across  the  path,  he  sharply  interrogated,  "  What 
does  this  mean  ?  Has  there  been  a  fight  ?  What 
was  the  cause  of  the  quarrel  ?  " 

"  They  are  Gunbei's  assassins.  They  were  waiting 
in  ambush  for  your  return,  by  Gunbei's  order.  I 
found  them  here.  They  attacked  me  and  I  killed 
them  both,  the  cowards  !  " 

Shusen  started.  An  exclamation  of  dismay  escaped 
him. 

"  It  is  a  pity  that  you  should  have  killed  those 
particular  men  at  this  juncture."  He  mused  for  a 
few  seconds,  gazing  at  the  dead  faces  of  his  would-be 
murderers.  "  I  knew  these  rascals.  My  purpose 
was  to  let  them  go  free,  and  to  lure  them  over  to  our 
side  :  they  could  soon  have  been  persuaded  to  confess 
the  crimes  of  their  master." 

Jurobei  realized  that  he  had  blundered.  Overcome 
with  disappointment,  he  sank  upon  the  ground  in  a 
disconsolate  heap. 

"  The  intelligence  of  inferior  men  cannot  be  relied 
upon,"  said  Jurobei  with  chagrin.  "  Alas,  they  un- 
wittingly err  in  their  judgment.  I  did  not  give  the 
matter  enough  consideration.  My  sole  idea  was 
to  save  your  life  at  all  costs,  my  lord !  I  have 
committed  a  grave  error  in  slaying  them.  With 
8 


Mortally  wounded,  both  men  fell  to  the  ground,  and  so  fatal  had  been  Jurobei's 
thrusts  that  in  a  few  minutes  they  breathed  their  last 


i     :    *.  <.  *    i 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

the  intention  of  tendering  abject  apologies  for  my 
past  misconduct,  which  has  lain  upon  me  like  a 
heavy  yoke  all  these  years,  I  came  here  to-night.  I 
killed  these  men  to  save  your  life — hoping  that  for 
this  service  you  would  reinstate  me.  I  beg  of  you  to 
forgive  my  stupidity." 

With  these  words  he  drew  his  sword  and  was  about 
to  plunge  it  into  himself  and  rashly  end  his  life  by 
hara-kiri,  by  way  of  expiation. 

Shusen  seized  his  arm  and  stopped  him  in  the  act. 
"  This  is  not  the  time  to  die  !  It  would  be  a  dog's 
death  to  kill  yourself  here  and  now.  Perform  some 
deed  worthy  of  a  samurai  and  then  I  will  recall  you 
as  my  retainer.  You  are  a  rash  man,  Jurobei !  In 
future  think  more  before  you  act." 

"  Oh,  my  lord,  do  you  really  forgive  me  ?  Will 
you  indeed  spare  a  life  forfeited  by  many  errors 
committed  in  your  service  ?  "  and  Jurobei  gave  a 
sigh  of  relief. 

"  Certainly  I  will,"  replied  Shusen,  aware  that  the 
affinity  existing  between  lord  and  retainer  is  a  close 
relationship  not  to  be  lightly  severed. 

"  You  were  about  to  throw  away  your  life,"  he 
continued,  "  for  what  you  considered  a  samurai's 
duty.  I  commend  that,  anyhow  !  I  tell  you  now  to 
wait  until  you  have  accomplished  some  real  work  in 
the  world.     Listen  to  what  I  have  to  say. 

"  From  generation  to  generation  the  Lords  of 
Tokushima  have  entrusted  to  the  care  of  our  house 
one  of  their  most  valuable  treasures  and  heirlooms, 

9 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

a  talisman  of  the  family,  the  Kunitsugu  sword.  At 
the  end  of  last  year  we  gave  a  banquet  and  entertained 
a  large  number  of  friends.  While  the  attention  of 
every  one  was  absorbed  in  waiting  upon  the  guests, 
some  robber  must  have  entered  the  house  and  stolen 
the  sword,  for  on  that  night  it  disappeared. 

"  In  my  own  mind  I  have  strong  suspicions  as  to  who 
the  guilty  party  may  be,  but  as  yet  there  is  no  proof. 
While  I  was  pondering  in  secret  over  possible  ways 
and  means  of  bringing  the  theft  to  light,  another 
complication  has  arisen. 

"  It  has  come  to  my  knowledge  that  Gunbei,  our 
enemy,  is  organizing  a  conspiracy  to  make  an  attack 
upon  the  life  of  my  lord,  the  Daimio  of  Tokushima. 
My  whole  attention  must  be  concentrated  on  this  plot, 
to  circumvent  which  requires  very  subtle  and  adroit 
handling,  so  that  it  is  impossible  for  me  to  take  any 
steps  in  the  matter  of  the  sword  at  the  present  time. 
There  is  no  one  to  whom  I  can  entrust  this  important 
mission  except  yourself,  Jurobei.  If  you  have  any 
gratitude  for  all  that  I  have  done  for  you,  then 
stake  your  life,  your  all,  in  the  search  for  the  lost 
sword. 

"  There  is  no  time  to  lose  !  This  is  January  and  our 
Daimio's  birthday  falls  on  the  third  of  March.  The 
sword  must  be  laid  out  in  state  on  that  festive  occasion 
in  the  palace.  I  shall  be  disgraced  and  my  house 
ruined  if  the  sword  be  not  forthcoming  that  day.  My 
duties  at  the  palace  make  it  impossible  for  me  to 
undertake  the  search.  Even  supposing  that  I  were 
10 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 


at  liberty  to  go  in  quest  of  the  sword,  to  do  so  would 
bring  about  my  undoing,  which  is  just  what  our  enemy 
Gunbei  desires.  You  are  now  a  ronin  [a  masterless 
samurai],  you  have  no  master,  no  duty,  no  appearances 
to  maintain.  Your  absence  from  our  midst  will  cause 
embarrassment  to  no  one.  Therefore  undertake  this 
mission,  I  command  you,  and  restore  the  sword  to  our 
house.  If  your  search  is  crowned  with  success,  I  will 
receive  you  back  into  my  household,  and  all  shall 
be  as  it  was  between  us  in  former  times." 

With  this  assurance  Sakurai  took  his  own  sword 
from  his  girdle  and  handed  it  to  Jurobei  as  a  pledge 
of  the  compact  between  them. 

Jurobei  stretched  out  both  hands,  received  it  with 
joy,  and  reverently  raised  it  to  his  forehead. 

"  Your  merciful  words  touch  my  heart.  Though 
my  body  should  be  broken  to  pieces  I  will  surely  not 
fail  to  recover  the  sword,"  replied  Jurobei. 

He  then  began  to  examine  the  dead  men  hoping 
to  find  their  purses,  for  in  his  new-formed  resolution 
he  realized  the  immediate  need  of  money  in  his  search 
for  the  lost  treasure. 

"  Stop,  stop  !  "  rebuked  Shusen,  "  take  nothing 
which  does  not  belong  to  you,  not  even  a  speck  of 

dust." 

"  Kiritori  goto  wa  bushi  no  narai  "  [Slaughter  and 
robbery  are  a  knight's  practice],  answered  Jurobei, 
"has  been  the  samurai's  motto  from  ancient  times. 
For  the  sake  of  my  lord  I  will  stop  at  nothing.  I  will 
even  become  a  robber.     In  token  of  my  determina- 

ii 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

tion,  from  this  hour  I  change  my  name  Jurobei  to 
Ginjuro.  Nothing  shall  deter  me  in  my  search  for 
the  sword.  To  prosecute  my  search  I  will  enter  any 
houses,  however  large  and  grand  they  may  be.  Rest 
assured,  my  lord.  I  will  be  responsible  for  the  finding 
of  the  sword." 

"  That  is  enough,"  returned  his  master.  "  You 
have  taken  the  lives  of  these  two  men — escape  before 
you  are  seized  and  delivered  up  to  justice." 

"  I  obey,  my  lord  !  May  all  go  well  with  you  till 
I  give  you  a  sign  that  the  sword  is  found." 

"  Yes,  yes,  have  no  fear  for  me.  Take  care  of  your- 
self, Jurobei !  "  answered  Shusen. 

Jurobei  prostrated  himself  at  his  master's  feet. 

"  Farewell,  my  lord  !  " 

"  Farewell !  " 

And  Shusen  Sakurai  and  his  faithful  vassal 
separated. 


12 


PART  II 

ON  the  quest  of  the  lost  sword  Jurobei  and 
his  wife  left  Yedo  buoyant  with  high  hope 
and  invincible  courage. 
The  sword,  however,  was  not  to  be  found 
so  easily.  Jurobei  was  untiringly  and  incessantly  on 
the  alert,  and  week  followed  week  in  his  fruitless 
search  ;  however,  his  ardour  was  unabated,  and  firm 
was  his  resolution  not  to  return  until  he  could  restore 
the  missing  treasure  upon  which  the  future  of  his 
master  depended.  Possessing  no  means  of  support, 
Jurobei  became  pirate,  robber,  and  impostor  by  turns, 
for  the  samurai  of  feudal  times  considered  that  all 
means  were  justified  in  the  cause  of  loyalty.  The 
obstacles  and  difficulties  that  lay  in  his  path,  which 
might  well  have  daunted  weaker  spirits,  merely  served 
to  inflame  his  passion  of  duty  to  still  greater  en- 
thusiasm. 

After  many  adventures  and  hairbreadth  escapes 
from  the  law,  the  vicissitudes  of  his  search  at  last 
brought  him  to  the  town  of  Naniwa  (present  Osaka) 
where  he  halted  for  a  while  and  found  it  convenient 
to  rent  a  tiny  house  on  the  outskirts  of  the  town. 
Here  Jurobei  met  with  a  man  named  Izsemon  who 
belonged  to  the  same  clan— one  of  the  retainers  of 
the  Daimio  of  Tokushima  and  colleague  of  Shusen 
Sakurai. 

Now  it  happened  that  an  illegitimate  half-sister  of 

13 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

the  Daimio  by  a  serving-woman  had  sold  herself  into 
a  house  of  ill-fame  to  render  assistance  to  her  mother's 
family  which  had  fallen  into  a  state  of  great  destitu- 
tion. As  proof  of  her  high  birth  she  had  in  her  posses- 
sion a  Kodzuka*  which  had  been  bestowed  on  her 
in  infancy  by  her  father,  the  Daimio.  Izaemon,  aware 
of  her  noble  parentage,  chivalrously  followed  her, 
and  in  order  to  redeem  the  unfortunate  woman 
borrowed  a  sum  of  money  from  a  man  named  Buta- 
roku,  who  had  proved  to  be  a  hard-hearted  wretch, 
continually  persecuting  and  harassing  Izaemon  on 
account  of  the  debt.  Jurobei  was  distressed  by  Buta- 
roku's  treatment  of  his  clansman,  and  magnanimously 
undertook  to  assume  all  responsibility  himself.  The 
day  had  come  when  the  bond  fell  due  and  the  money 
had  to  be  refunded.  Jurobei  was  well  aware  that 
before  nightfall  he  must  manage  by  some  way  or 
another  to  obtain  the  means  to  satisfy  his  avaricious 
creditor  or  both  himself  and  Izaemon  would  be  made 
to  suffer  for  the  delay. 

At  his  wit's  end  he  started  out  in  the  early  morning, 
leaving  his  wife,  O  Yumi,  alone. 

Shortly  after  his  departure  a  letter  was  brought  to 
the  house.  In  those  remote  days  there  was,  of  course, 
no  regular  postal  service,  and  only  urgent  news  was 
transmitted  by  messengers.  The  arrival  of  a  letter 
was,  therefore,  looked  upon  as  the  harbinger  of  some 
calamity  or  as  conveying  news  of  great  importance. 
In  some  trepidation,  therefore,  O  Yumi  tore  open  the 

*  A  small  knife  which  fits  into  the  hilt  of  a  sword. 

H 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

communication,  only  to  find  that  her  fears  were  con- 
firmed.    It   proved   to   be   a   warning   from   one   of 
Jurobei's    followers    with    the    information    that    the 
police  had  discovered  the  rendezvous  of  his  men — 
some  of  whom  had   been  captured  while  others  had 
managed   to   escape.     The  writer,   moreover,   appre- 
hended that  the  officers  of  law  were  on  the  track  of 
Jurobei  himself,  and  begged  him  to  lose  no  time  in 
fleeing   to   some   place   of   safety.     This   intelligence 
sorely  troubled  O  Yumi.     "  Even  though  my  hus- 
band's salary  is  so  trifling  yet  he  is  a  samurai  by  birth. 
The  reason  why  he  has  fallen  so  low  is  because  he 
desires  above  all  things  to  succeed  in  restoring  the 
Kunitsugu  sword.     As  a  samurai  he  must  be  always 
prepared  to  sacrifice  his  life  in  his  master's  service 
if  loyalty  demands  it,   but  should  the  misdeeds  he 
has  committed  during  the  search  be  discovered  before 
the  sword  is  found,  his  long  years  of  fidelity,  of  exile, 
of  deprivation,  of  hardship  will  all  have  been  in  vain. 
It  is  terrible  to  contemplate.     Not  only  this,  his  good 
qualities  will  sink  into  oblivion,  and  he  will  be  reviled 
as  a  robber  and  a  law-breaker  even  after  he  is   dead. 
What  a  deplorable  disgrace  !     He  has  not  done  evil 
because  his  heart  is  corrupt — oh,  no,  no  !  " 

Overcome  with  these  sad  reflections,  she  turned  to 
the  corner  where  stood  the  little  shrine  dedicated  to 
Kwannon,  the  Goddess  of  Mercy  and  Compassion, 
and  sinking  upon  her  knees  she  prayed  with  the 
earnestness  of  a  last  hope,  that  the  holy  Kwannon 
would  preserve  her  husband's  life  until  his  mission 

!5 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

should  be  accomplished  and  the  sword  safely  returned 
to  its  princely  owner. 

As  she  was  kneeling  before  the  shrine  there  floated 
into  the  room  from  outside  the  sound  of  a  pilgrim's 
song  chanted  in  a  child's  sweet  treble. 

Fudaraku  ya  ! 
Kishi  utsu  nami  ya 

Mi  Kumano  no 
Nachi  no  oyama  ni 

Hibiku  takitsuse. 

4 

Goddess  of  Mercy,  hail ! 

I  call  and  lo  ! 
The  beat  of  surf  on  shore 

Suffers  a  heaven-change 
To  the  great  cataract's  roar 

On  Nachi's  holy  range 
In  hallowed  Kumano.* 

O  Yumi  arose  from  her  knees  and  went  out  to  ascer- 
tain who  the  singer  could  be.  A  little  girl  about  nine 
years  of  age  was  standing  in  the  porch.  On  her 
shoulders  was  strapped  a  pilgrim's  pack.  Again  she 
sang  : 

Furusato  wo 

Harubaru,  kokoni 

kii — Miedera 

*  The  Shrines  of  Kumano  or  The  Three  Holy  Places  date  from 
the  first  century  B.C.,  and  are  famous  for  their  healing  powers. 
The  Nachi  waterfall  is  the  third  of  these  ancient  shrines,  and  is 
No.  i  of  the  thirty-three  places  sacred  to  Kwannon,  the  Goddess 
of  Mercy. 

16 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 


Hana  no  Miyako  mo 
Chikaku  naruran. 

From  home  and  birth 
Far  ways  of  earth 

Forwandered  here 
Kii's  holy  place 
A  sojourn's  space 

Receives  me,  ere 
Anon  thy  bowers, 
City  of  Flowers,* 

(Life's  goal)  draw  near. 

When  she  saw  that  some  one  had  appeared,  her 
song  ceased,  and  she  plaintively  added  : 

"  Be  kind  enough  to  give  alms  to  a  poor  little 
pilgrim." 

"  My  pretty  little  pilgrim,"  answered  O  Yumi,  "  I 
will  gladly  give  you  some  alms,"  and  placing  a  few 
coins  in  a  fold  of  paper  she  handed  it  out  to  her. 

"  I  thank  you  from  my  heart !  "  responded  the 
child  in  grateful  accents.  By  the  manner  in  which 
these  words  were  uttered,  and  in  spite  of  the  travel- 
stained  dress  and  the  dust  of  the  road,  it  was  apparent 
to  O  Yumi  that  the  little  girl  before  her  was  no  common 
beggar,  but  a  beautiful  and  well-born  child.  Naturally 
of  a  fair  complexion,  her  eyes  were  clear  and  bright, 
her  dishevelled  hair  was  long  and  jet  black.  The 
hardships  of  the  pilgrimage  had  left  their  mark  upon 
the  child,  she  was  thin  and  seemed  so  weary,  that 
it  filled  the  heart  with  pity.    O  Yumi  found  her 

*  Lit.  Flower-Capital  =  Kyoto. 

B  17 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

thoughts  carried  back  to  the  infant  she  had  been 
compelled  to  leave  behind  in  the  old  home  seven  long 
years  before,  when  she  and  Jurobei  had  followed 
their  lord  Shusen  Sakurai  to  Yedo. 

For  some  inexplicable  reason  she  felt  strangely 
touched  by  the  plight  of  the  little  girl  before  her, 
and  reflected  sadly  that  her  own  child — so  far  away, 
and  deprived  at  such  an  early  age  of  her  mother's 
love  and  care— would  now  be  somewhat  of  the  same 
age  and  size  as  the  little  pilgrim. 

"  Dear  child,"  said  O  Yumi,  "  I  suppose  you  are 
travelling  with  your  parents.  Tell  me  what  province 
you  came  from  ?  " 

"  My  native  province  is  Tokushima  of  Awa,"  was 
the  reply. 

"  What  ?  "  exclaimed  O  Yumi.  "  Did  you  say 
Tokushima  ?  That  is  where  I  was  born,  too  !  My 
heart  thrills  at  hearing  the  beloved  name  of  the  place 
of  my  birth.  And  so  you  are  making  a  pilgrimage 
with  your  parents  ?  " 

The  woman's  question  was  a  reasonable  one,  for 
a  Buddhist  pilgrim  wanders  around  from  temple  to 
temple  all  over  the  country  to  worship  the  founder 
of  their  faith  and  patron  saints,  and  it  was  most  un- 
likely that  a  child  of  such  tender  years  should  set 
out  alone  upon  so  long  and  arduous  a  journey.  It 
was,  indeed,  a  great  distance  from  Tokushima,  in  the 
Island  of  Shikoku,  to  the  town  of  Naniwa.  But  the 
little  girl  shook  her  head  and  answered  in  forlorn 
accents  : 
18 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

"  No,  no.  I  have  not  seen  my  parents  for  seven 
years.  I  have  left  my  home  in  Awa  and  come  upon 
this  long  pilgrimage  entirely  in  the  hope  of  finding 
them." 

On  hearing  these  words  O  Yumi  became  agitated 
in  mind.  Perchance  this  child  might  prove  to  be  her 
own  daughter  !  Drawing  near  the  little  pilgrim  and 
scanning  her  features  eagerly,  she  asked  : 

"  Why  do  you  go  on  this  pilgrimage  to  seek  your 
parents  ?     Tell  me  their  names  ?  " 

"  When  I  was  only  two  years  of  age  my  parents 
left  our  native  place.  I  have  been  brought  up  entirely 
by  my  grandmother.  For  several  months  now  we 
have  had  no  news  of  them,  since  they  followed  our 
lord  to  Yedo  ;  they  seem  to  have  left  Yedo,  but  no 
one  knew  whither  they  went.  I  am  wandering  in 
search  of  them  :  my  one  wish  being  to  look  upon 
their  faces  if  but  once  again  in  this  life.  My  father's 
name  is  Jurobei  of  Awa  and  my  mother  is  called 
O  Yumi." 

"  What  ?  Your  father  is  Jurobei  and  your  mother 
O  Yumi  ?  "  stammered  out  the  astonished  parent, 
greatly  taken  aback  by  this  statement.  "  And  they 
parted  from  you  when  you  were  two  years  of  age, 
and  you  were  brought  up  by  your  grandmother  ?  " 

Oh !  there  was  no  room  for  doubt.  An  angel 
must  have  guided  the  wandering  footsteps  of  the 
little  pilgrim,  for  it  was  indeed  her  own  little  daughter, 
the  sole  blossom  of  her  youth  and  early  married  life. 
The  more  carefully  O  Yumi  regarded  the  child,  the 

l9 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

more  her  memory  convinced  her  that  in  the  young 
face  before  her  she  could  trace  the  baby  features 
so  sadly  missed  for  seven  long  years — and  finally 
her  eager  eyes  detected  an  undeniable  proof  of 
her  identity — a  tiny  mole  high  up  on  the  child's 
forehead. 

The  poor  mother  was  on  the  verge  of  bursting 
into  tears  and  crying  out :  "  Oh,  oh  !  You  are  indeed 
my  own,  O  Tsuru ! "  But  with  a  painful  effort 
she  realized  what  such  a  disclosure  would  mean  to 
the  child. 

"  Who  knows  !  "  reflected  the  unhappy  woman. 
"  My  husband  and  I  may  be  arrested  at  any  moment. 
I  am  indeed  prepared  for  the  worst  that  may  befall 
us — even  to  be  thrown  into  prison — but  if  I  disclose 
my  identity  to  O  Tsuru,  she  must  inevitably  share 
our  misery.*  It  is  in  the  interest  of  my  poor  child's 
welfare  that  I  send  her  away  without  revealing  the 
truth  which  would  expose  her  to  untold  trouble  and 
disgrace." 

In  those  ancient  times  the  criminal  law  enacted 
that  innocent  children  should  be  implicated  in  the 
offences  of  the  parents,  and  that  the  same  sentence 
of  punishment  should  cover  them  also.  Love  gave 
clearness  to  the  workings  of  her  mind,  and  in  a  moment 
O  Yumi  remembered  what  was  threatening  them  and 
the  inexorable  decrees  of  the  law.     Involuntarily  her 

*  In  old  Japan  the  sentence  of  imprisonment,  execution,  and 
even  crucifixion  fell  on  the  wife  as  well  as  all  the  children,  even 
to  the  youngest  babe  of  the  criminal. 

20 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

arms  were  extended  with  the  mother's  instinct  to 
gather  the  child  to  her  heart,  but  she  quickly  con- 
trolled her  emotion  and  did  her  best  to  address  the 
little  girl  in  a  calm  voice  : 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  understand.  For  one  so  young  you 
have  come  a  long,  long  way.  It  is  wonderful  that 
alone  and  on  foot  you  could  traverse  such  a  great 
and  weary  distance,  and  your  filial  devotion  is  indeed 
worthy  of  praise.  If  your  parents  could  know  of  this 
they  would  weep  for  joy.  But  things  are  not  as  we 
wish  in  this  sad  world,  life  is  not  as  the  heart  of  man 
desires,  alas  !  You  say  your  father  and  mother  had 
to  leave  you,  their  little  babe,  for  whose  sake  they 
would  gladly  sacrifice  their  own  souls  and  bodies. 
My  poor  child,  they  must  have  had  some  very  urgent 
reason  for  parting  from  you  in  this  way.  You  must 
not  feel  injured  nor  bear  them  any  resentment  on  that 
account." 

"  No,  no,"  replied  the  little  one  intelligently,  "  it 
would  be  impious  even  to  dream  of  such  a  feeling. 
Never  have  I  felt  resentment  even  for  a  single  moment 
against  my  parents,  for  it  was  not  their  wish  or  in- 
tention to  forsake  me.  But  as  they  left  me  when  I 
was  only  a  baby  I  have  no  recollection  of  their  faces, 
and  whenever  I  see  other  children  being  tended  and 
cherished  by  their  mothers,  or  at  night  hushed  to  rest 
in  their  mother's  arms,  I  cannot  help  envying  them. 
I  have  longed  and  prayed  ever  since  I  can  remember 
that  I  might  be  united  to  my  own  mother,  and  know 
what  it  is  to  be  loved  and  cherished  like  all  the  other 

21 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

children  !  Oh,  when  I  think  that  I  may  never  see 
her  again,  I  am  very,  very  sad  !  " 

The  lonely  child  had  begun  to  sob  while  pouring 
out  the  grief  that  lay  so  near  her  heart,  and  the  tears 
that  she  could  no  longer  restrain  were  coursing,  porori, 
porori,  down  her  cheeks. 

O  Yumi  felt  as  though  her  heart  was  well-nigh  break- 
ing. Indeed,  the  woman's  anguish  at  being  an  im- 
potent witness  of  the  sorrows  of  her  forsaken  child 
was  of  far  greater  intensity  than  the  woes  of  the  little 
girl's  narration,  yet  as  she  answered,  the  mother's 
heart  felt  as  though  relentless  circumstances  had 
transformed  her  into  a  monster  of  cruelty  ! 

"  In  this  life  there  is  no  deeper  Karma-relation  than 
that  existing  between  parent  and  child,  yet  children 
frequently  lose  their  parents,  or  the  child  sometimes 
may  be  taken  first.  Such  is  the  way  of  this  world. 
As  I  said  before,  the  desire  of  the  heart  is  seldom 
gratified.  You  are  searching  for  your  parents  whose 
faces  you  could  not  even  recognize,  and  of  whose 
whereabouts  you  are  entirely  ignorant.  All  the  hard- 
ships of  this  pilgrimage  will  be  endured  in  vain  unless 
you  are  able  to  discover  them,  which  is  very  im- 
probable. Take  my  advice.  It  would  be  much  better 
for  you  to  give  up  the  search  and  to  return  at  once 
to  your  native  province." 

"  No,  no,  for  the  sake  of  my  beloved  parents," 
expostulated  the  child,  "  I  will  devote  my  whole  life 
to  the  search  for  them,  if  necessary.  But  of  all  my 
hardships  in  this  wandering  life  the  one  that  afflicts 
22 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

me  most  is  that,  as  I  travel  alone,  no  one  will  give 
me  a  night's  lodging,  so  that  I  am  obliged  to  sleep 
either  in, the  fields  or  on  the  open  mountain-side; 
indeed,  at  times  I  seek  an  unwilling  shelter  beneath 
the  eaves  of  some  house,  from  whence  I  am  often 
driven  away  with  blows.  Whenever  I  go  through 
these  terrible  experiences  I  cannot  help  thinking  that 
if  only  my  parents  were  with  me  I  should  not  be 
treated  in  this  pitiless  way.  Oh  !  some  one  must  tell 
me  where  they  are  !  I  long  to  see  them  ...  I 
long  .  .  ."  and  the  poor  little  vagrant  burst  out  into 
long  wailing  sobs. 

The  distracted  mother  was  torn  between  love  and 
duty.  Oblivious  of  everything,  for  one  moment  she 
lost  her  presence  of  mind  and  clasped  her  daughter 
to  her  heart. 

She  was  on  the  point  of  exclaiming  : 

"  My  poor  little  stray  lamb  !  I  cannot  let  you  go  ! 
Look  at  me,  I  am  your  own  mother  !  Is  it  not  marvel- 
lous that  you  should  have  found  me  ?  " 

But  only  her  lips  moved  silently,  for  she  did  not 
dare  to  let  the  child  know  the  truth.  She  herself  was 
prepared  for  any  fate  however  bitter,  but  the  innocent 
O  Tsuru  must  be  shielded  from  the  suffering  which 
would  ultimately  be  the  lot  of  her  father  and  mother 
as  the  penalty  for  breaking  the  law.  Fortified  by 
this  resolution,  the  Spartan  mother  regained  her  self- 
control  and  managed  to  repress  the  overwhelming 
tide  of  impulse  which  almost  impelled  her,  in  spite 
of  all,  to  reveal  her  identity. 

23 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

Holding  the  little  form  closely  to  her  breast  she 
murmured  tenderly  : 

"  I  have  listened  to  your  story  so  carefully  that 
your  troubles  seem  to  have  become  mine  own,  and 
there  are  no  words  to  express  the  sorrow  and  pity  I 
feel  for  your  forlorn  condition.  However, '  while  there 
is  life  there  is  hope  '  [inochi  atte  monodane].  Do  not 
despair,  you  may  some  day  be  united  to  your  parents. 
If,  however,  you  determine  to  continue  this  pilgrimage, 
the  hardships  and  fatigues  you  must  undergo  will 
inevitably  ruin  your  health.  It  is  far  better 
for  you  to  return  to  the  shelter  of  your  grand- 
mother's roof  than  to  persist  in  such  a  vague  search 
and  with  so  little  prospect  of  success.  It  may  be  that 
before  long  your  parents  will  return  to  you,  who 
knows  !  My  advice  is  good,  and  I  beg  you  to  go  back 
to  your  home  at  once,  and  there  patiently  await  their 
coming." 

Thus  O  Yumi  managed  to  keep  up  the  pretence  of 
being  a  stranger,  and  at  the  same  time  to  give  to  her 
own  flesh  and  blood  all  the  help  and  comfort  that 
her  mother's  heart  could  devise.  But  nature  would 
not  be  disguised,  and  although  she  knew  it  not,  a 
passion  of  love  and  yearning  thrilled  in  her  voice 
and  manner  and  communicated  itself  to  the  child's 
heart. 

"  Yes,  yes,"  answered  the  little  creature  in  appeal- 
ing tones.  "  Indeed,  I  thank  you.  Seeing  you  weep 
for  me,  I  feel  as  if  you  were  indeed  my  own  mother 
and  I  no  longer  wish  to  go  from  here.     I  pray  you  to 

H 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

let  me  stay  with  you.  Since  I  left  my  home  no  one 
has  been  so  kind  to  me  as  you.  Do  not  drive  me  away. 
I  will  promise  to  do  all  you  bid  me  if  only  you  will 
let  me  stay." 

"  Do  you  wish  to  make  me  weep  with  your  sad 
words  ?  "  was  all  that  O  Yumi  could  stammer  out, 
her  voice  broken  with  agitation.  After  a  moment  she 
added  :  "  As  I  have  already  told  you,  I  feel  towards 
you  as  though  you  were  indeed  my  own  daughter,  and 
I  have  been  wondering  if  by  any  means  it  would 
be  possible  to  keep  you  with  me.  But  it  cannot  be. 
I  am  obliged  to  seem  cold-hearted  and  to  send  you 
away,  and  all  that  I  can  tell  you  is  that  for  your  own 
sake  you  must  not  remain  here.  I  hope  you  fully 
understand  and  will  return  to  your  home  at  once." 

With  these  words  O  Yumi  went  quickly  to  an  inner 
room,  and  taking  all  the  silver  money  she  possessed 
from  her  little  hoard  she  offered  it  to  O  Tsuru, 
saying  : 

"  Although  you  are  travelling  in  this  solitary  and 
unprotected  state  you  will  always  find  some  one  ready 
to  give  you  a  night's  lodging  if  you  can  offer  them 
money.  Take  this.  It  is  not  much,  but  receive  it  as 
a  little  token  of  my  sympathy.  Make  use  of  it  as 
best  you  can  and  return  to  your  native  province  with- 
out delay." 

"  Your  kindness  makes  me  very  happy,  but  as  far 
as  money  is  concerned  I  have  many  koban  [coins  of 
pure  gold  used  in  ancient  times].  I  am  going  now. 
Thank  you  again  and  again  for  all  your  goodness  to 

25 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 


me,"  replied  O  Tsuru  in  wounded  accents,  and  show- 
ing by  a  gesture  that  she  refused  the  proffered  as- 
sistance. 

"  Even  if  you  have  plenty  of  money — take  this  in 
remembrance  of  our  meeting.  Oh  .  .  .  you  can 
never  know  how  sad  I  am  at  parting  from  you,  you 
poor  little  one  ! 

O  Yumi  stooped  down  and  was  brushing  away  the 
dust  which  covered  the  hem  of  O  Tsuru's  dress. 

"  Oh,  you  must  never  think  that  I  want  to  let  you 
go.  .  .  .  Your  little  face  reminds  me  of  one  who  is 
the  most  precious  to  me  in  all  the  world,  and  whom 
I  may  never  see  again." 

Overcome  with  the  passion  of  mother-love,  she 
enfolded  the  poor  little  wayfarer  in  a  close  embrace, 
and  the  little  girl,  nestling  in  the  arms  of  her  own 
mother,  thought  she  was  merely  a  stranger  whose 
pity  was  evoked  by  the  recital  of  her  sufferings. 

Instinct,  however,  stirred  in  her  heart,  and  she  could 
not  bear  the  thought  of  leaving  her  new-found  friend. 
But  since  it  was  impossible  for  her  to  stay  with  this 
compassionate  woman,  nothing  remained  but  for  her 
to  depart.  Slowly  and  reluctantly  she  passed  out 
from  the  porch,  again  and  again  wistfully  looking 
back  at  the  kind  face,  and  as  O  Tsuru'  resumed  her 
journey  down  the  dusty  road  she  murmured  a  little 
prayer  : 

"  Alas  !  Shall  I  ever  find  my  parents  !  I  implore 
thee  to  grant  my  petition,  O  great  and  merciful 
Kwannon  Sama !  "  and  her  tremulous  voice  grew 
26 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

stronger   with   the   hopefulness   of   childhood   as   she 
chanted  the  song  of  the  pilgrim. 

Chichi  haha  no 
Megumi  mo  fukaki 

Kogawa-dera 
Hotoke  no  chikai 

Tanomoshiki  Kana. 

Father-love,  mother-love, 
Theirs  is  none  other  love 

Than  in  these  Courts  is  mine. 

Safe  at  Kogawa's  shrine, 
Yea,  Buddha's  Vows  endure, 
Verily  a  refuge  sure. 

Meanwhile,  from  the  gate,  the  unhappy  mother  sadly 
followed  with  her  eyes  the  pathetic  little  figure  dis- 
appearing on  her  unknown  path  into  the  gathering 
twilight,  while  the  last  glow  of  sunset  faded  from  the 
sky.  The  little  song  of  faith  and  hope  sounded  like 
sardonic  mockery  in  her  ears.  In  anguish  she  covered 
her  face  with  her  sleeves  and  sobbed  : 

"  My  child — my  child — turn  back  and  show  me 
your  face  once  more  !  As  by  a  miracle  her  wandering 
footsteps  have  been  guided  to  the  longed-for  haven 
from  far  across  the  sea  and  the  distant  mountains. 
Oh,  to  have  ruthlessly  driven  her  away  !  What  must 
our  Karma-relation,  have  been  in  previous  existences  ! 
What  retribution  is  this  !  What  must  have  been  my 
sin  to  receive  such  punishment !  " 

While  these  torturing  reflections  voiced  themselves 

27 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

in  broken  utterance  her  daughter's  shadow  had 
vanished  in  the  gloom,  and  O  Yumi,  standing  at  the 
gate,  felt  her  grief  become  unbearable. 

Vividly  there  arose  before  her  mind  the  bitter  pangs 
of  leaving  the  old  home  and  her  baby  child,  and  the 
misfortunes  and  poverty  which  had  come  upon  them 
ever  since  Jurobei's  discharge ;  the  weariness  and 
disappointment  of  the  months  of  fruitless  search  for 
the  lost  sword  ;  the  homesickness  of  the  exile  banished 
from  his  own  province  and  his  lord's  service  by  cruel 
circumstances  ;  the  disgrace  which  had  now  fallen 
upon  her  husband  ;  all  the  accumulated  pain  of  the 
past  hushed  to  rest  by  the  narcotic  necessity  of  bear- 
ing each  day's  burden  and  meeting  with  courage  and 
resource  the  ever-recurring  difficulties  and  dangers  of 
their  hunted  life.  All  these  cruel  phantom  shapes 
arose  to  haunt  the  unhappy  woman  with  renewed 
poignancy,  sharpened  by  the  agony  of  repression 
which  her  mother-love  had  been  enduring  for  the  past 
hour.  Neither  the  arrow  of  hope  which  pierces  the 
looming  clouds  of  the  future,  nor  the  shield  of  resigna- 
tion, would  ever  defend  her  again  in  this  sorrow  of 
sorrows.  Suddenly  a  new  resolve  stirred  her  to  ac- 
tion. "  I  can  bear  this  no  longer  !  "  she  cried  frantic- 
ally. "  If  we  part  now  we  may  never  meet  again. 
I  cannot  let  her  go  !  From  the  fate  that  threatens  us 
there  may  still  be  some  way  of  escape.  I  must  find 
her  and  bring  her  back." 

Hastily  gathering  up  the  lower  folds  of  her  kimono 
she  rushed  out  into  the  road  that  wound  between 
28 


The  unhappy  mother  sadly  followed  with  her  eyes  the  pathetic  little  figure 
disappearing  on  her  unknown  path 


•  .        ... 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

the  rice-fields  and  the  dark  gnarled  pines.  The  even- 
ing wind  had  begun  to  moan  through  the  heavy- 
branches,  and  as  it  tossed  them  to  and  fro,  to  her 
fevered  imagination  they  seemed  to  be  warning  her  to 
retrace  her  steps  and  to  wave  her  back  with  ominous 
portent.  On  and  on  she  sped  along  the  lonely  road 
into  the  shadowy  vista  beyond  which  her  child  had 
disappeared  into  the  darkness.  .  .  . 


29 


PART  III 

THE  temple  bell  was  booming  the  hour  of  part- 
ing day  as  Jurobei  disconsolately  hurried 
home.  All  his  attempts  had  failed  to  pro- 
cure the  money  wherewith  to  pay  IzEemon's 
debt  to  Butaroku,  and  knowing  that  Butaroku  was 
the  kind  of  man  to  take  a  merciless  revenge,  he  was 
in  a  mood  of  profound  depression. 

Suddenly  in  the  road  he  came  upon  a  group  of 
beggars  surrounding  a  little  girl  dressed  as  a  pilgrim. 
The  wretches,  thinking  her  an  easy  prey  to  their 
cupidity,  were  tormenting  the  poor  little  wayfarer 
and  trying  to  wrest  from  her  the  contents  of  her 
wallet,  but  she  was  bravely  defending  herself  and 
resisting  their  attacks  with  great  spirit. 

Seeing  how  matters  stood,  Jurobei  promptly  drove 
the  beggars  away  with  his  stick,  and  then,  to  avoid 
the  return  of  her  assailants,  he  compassionately 
took  the  child  by  the  hand  and  led  her  home  with 
him. 

But  alas  !  by  a  fatal  mischance  they  had  taken  a 
different  road  to  that  chosen  by  O  Yumi. 

As  soon  as  they  reached  the  porch  he  called  out : 

"  I  have  come  back,  O  Yumi !  " 

Contrary  to  his  expectation  there  was  no  response, 
and  entering  hastily  he  found  the  cottage  empty  and 
in  darkness. 

"  How  is  it  that  the  place  is  deserted  ?     Where  can 

30 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

O  Yumi  have  gone  to  at  this  hour  ?  "  he  grumbled 
as  he  groped  his  way  across  the  room  and  set  light 
to  the  standing  lantern. 

Then  by  its  fitful  glow  he  sank  down  upon  the  mats 
in  gloomy  abstraction  and  the  lassitude  of  disappoint- 
ment, and  pondered  seriously  on  the  desperate  straits 
to  which  he  and  his  wife  were  reduced  :  the  situation 
seemed  hopeless,  for  well  he  knew  that  no  clemency 
could  be  expected  from  the  enemy  and  unless  some 
money  was  forthcoming  that  very  night  he  was  a 
lost  man.  All  at  once  a  thought  struck  him.  He 
beckoned  the  little  pilgrim  to  draw  near. 

"  Come  here,  my  child  !  Those  rascally  beggars 
from  whom  I  rescued  you  were  trying  to  steal  your 
wallet.  Tell  me,  have  you  much  money  with 
vou  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  have  what  several  kind  people  have  given 
me,"  was  her  reply. 

"  Let  me  see  how  much  you  have  ?  "  demanded 
Jurobei  peremptorily. 

O  Tsuru,  for  indeed  it  was  she,  took  out  a  little 
bag,  and  reluctantly  offered  a  few  coins  for  her  in- 
quisitor's inspection. 

"  Is  this  all  you  have,  child  ?  "  he  persisted  im- 
patiently. 

"  No,  no,  I  have  several  koban  *  besides,"  answered 
the  girl,  her  childish  mind  exaggerating  the  amount. 

*  Koban  =  the  name  of  an  ancient  pure  gold  coin  elliptical  in 
shape,  worth  about  one  Yen,  but  the  purchasing  value  perhaps 
a  hundred  times  what  it  is  in  the  present  day. 

31 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

"  Oh,  indeed,  so  you  have  many  koban  ?  "  Jurobei 
mused  for  a  few  minutes.  Here  was  an  unexpected 
opportunity  to  satisfy  the  avarice  of  Butaroku. 
"  Let  me  take  care  of  the  koban  for  you.  It  is  not 
safe  for  you  to  keep  them,"  said  Jurobei,  stretching 
out  his  hand  towards  her. 

"  No,  no  !  "  replied  O  Tsuru,  shaking  her  head  with 
decision.  "  When  my  grandmother  was  dying  she 
made  me  promise  faithfully  never  to  show  the  money 
to  any  one,  as  it  is  tied  together  with  a  very  precious 
thing.     I  must  not  give  or  show  the  bag  to  any  one." 

Jurobei,  who  saw  deliverance  from  his  debt  of 
honour  in  the  money  he  supposed  the  child  to  carry, 
tried  to  frighten  her  into  giving  it  up  to  him,  but  she 
was  firm  in  her  refusal,  and  rose  to  her  feet  with  the 
intention  of  escaping  from  her  persecutor. 

"  Oh,  I  will  stay  here  no  longer.  You  frighten 
me  !  "  she  exclaimed,  moving  towards  the  porch. 

Jurobei,  in  fear  lest  his  last  hope  should  fail,  seized 
her  by  the  collar  of  her  dress. 

"  Oh,  oh,  help,  help  !  "  loudly  screamed  the  girl  in 
terror. 

"  What  a  noise,  what  a  noise  !  "  exclaimed  Jurobei 
in  exasperation,  and  alarmed  lest  the  neighbours 
should  overhear  the  child's  cries,  he  roughly  attempted 
to  stifle  her  screams  with  his  hand  across  her 
mouth. 

For  a  few  minutes,  as  a  snared  bird  flutters  in  the 
net  of  its  captor,  the  hapless  O  Tsuru  put  forth  all 
her   strength   and   endeavoured   desperately   to   dis- 

32 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

engage  herself  ;  her  struggles  then  subsided  and  she 
grew  still. 

Jurobei  began  to  reason  with  her  without  removing 
his  hold  : 

"  There  is  nothing  whatever  to  fear  !  The  truth  is 
I  am  in  pressing  need  of  some  money.  I  do  not  know 
how  much  you  have,  but  lend  it  to  me  for  a  few  days. 
During  that  time  stay  here  quietly.  I  will  take  you 
to  visit  the  Temple  of  Kwannon  Sama,  and  we  will 
go  every  day  to  see  the  sights  of  the  city  near  by  and 
amuse  ourselves.  Never  fear,  only  lend  me  all  you 
have  like  a  good  child." 

As  he  freed  her  she  fell  to  the  ground. 

"  What  is  the  matter  ?  "  said  Jurobei,  anxiously 
bending  over  her  little  form. 

There  was  no  answer.  She  lay  quite  still  with  no 
sign  of  life  or  motion. 

"  Oh,  oh  !  "  exclaimed  Jurobei.  Thinking  that  she 
had  fainted,  he  fetched  water  and  sprinkled  her  pale 
face  and  tried  to  force  a  few  drops  between  her  closed 
lips,  but  there  was  not  even  a  flicker  of  response. 

The  child  lay  dead  before  him.  Worn  out  with  the 
hardships  and  fatigues  of  the  long,  long  pilgrimage, 
as  a  frail  light  flickers  out  before  a  rough  gust  of  wind, 
her  waning  strength  had  failed  in  that  last  struggle. 
The  griefs  of  earth  were  left  behind  and  the  brave 
little  soul  had  set  out  on  its  longer  journey  to  the 
Meido  (Hades). 

Jurobei  was  thoroughly  alarmed.  In  that  tragic 
moment  he  knew  not  what  to  do.     However,  hearing 

c  33 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

his  wife's  returning  footsteps,  he  hastily  moved  the 
body  to  one  side  of  the  room  and  covered  it  with  a 
quilt. 

O  Yumi  entered  the  room  in  great  perturba- 
tion. 

"  Oh,  oh  !  Help  me  to  look  for  her,  help  me  !  While 
you  were  out  this  afternoon,  wonderful  to  tell !  who 
should  come  here  in  search  for  us  but  our  own 
child,  O  Tsuru.  How  I  longed  to  reveal  myself  to 
her,  the  poor,  poor  little  one  !  But  the  knowledge 
that  she  must  share  our  miserable  fate  when  we  are 
arrested,  which  may  be  at  any  moment  now,  forced 
me  to  send  her  away  without  telling  her  that  I  was 
her  mother.  After  she  had  gone  I  could  not 
bear  the  thought  of  never  seeing  her  again.  I  ran 
after  her,  but  she  had  disappeared !  She  cannot 
have  gone  far.  I  came  back  to  fetch  you.  Let  us 
look  for  her  together." 

Jurobei  was  dumbfounded  at  this  totally  unexpected 
intelligence.  He  stood  up  as  though  ready  to  start 
out  into  the  night. 

"  How  was  she  clothed  ?  What  kind  of  dress  did 
she  wear  ?  "  he  asked  hurriedly. 

"  She  wore  a  long-sleeved  robe  brightly  patterned 
with  designs  of  spring  blossoms,  and  on  her  shoulders 
she  carried  a  pilgrim's  pack." 

"  She  carried  a  pilgrim's  pack  !  "  echoed  Jurobei 
forlornly,  and  seized  with  an  icy  trembling.  The 
frightful  truth  had  flashed  upon  his  brain.  He  knew 
that  he  had  killed  his  own  child  ! 

34 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

O  Yumi,  wondering  at  his  hesitation,  prepared  to 
start  out  again. 

"  You  need  not  go  to  look  for  our  child  !  "  Jurobei 
hoarsely  muttered.     "  She  is  already  here  !  " 

"  Has  she  come  back  ?  "  cried  O  Yumi  in  excite- 
ment.    "  Tell  me  where  she  is." 

"  She  is  lying  there  under  that  quilt,"  he  replied, 
pointing  to  where  the  body  lay. 

O  Yumi  quickly  crossed  the  room  and  drew  back 
the  coverlet.  "  My  child  !  Oh,  my  child  !  At  last, 
at  last  I  may  call  you  so  !  "  cried  the  delighted  mother 
sinking  on  her  knees  in  a  transport  of  joy. 

Long  and  tenderly  she  gazed  at  the  little  figure, 
lying  prone  before  her.  But  how  strange  that  her 
clothes  were  still  unloosened  and  the  heavy  pack  had 
not  been  unstrapped  from  the  tired  shoulders.  O 
Yumi  touched  her  hands  and  found  them  cold.  Panic- 
stricken,  she  listened  at  the  child's  breast  only  to 
find  her  fears  confirmed  and  that  the  little  form  was 
still  and  lifeless. 

"  Oh,  oh,  oh  !  "  wailed  O  Yumi,  "  She  is  dead  ! 
She  is  dead  !  " 

The  shock  was  too  deep  for  tears.  For  a  moment 
the  unhappy  woman  was  paralysed. 

Then  turning  to  her  husband  : 

"  You  must  know  how  she  died.  Tell  me !  Tell 
me  !  "  she  gasped  distractedly. 

The  half-dazed  Jurobei  related  as  well  as  he  could 
all  the  events  of  that  fatal  afternoon.  He  finished 
his  recital : 

35 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

"  I  put  my  hand  over  her  mouth  to  stop  her  scream- 
ing, and  on  releasing  her  she  fell  to  the  ground.  I  had 
no  intention  of  killing  her  and  pitied  the  poor  un- 
fortunate girl,  though  I  had  no  idea  that  she  was  my 
little  Tsuru.  That  I  should  have  slain  our  own  child 
must  be  the  result  of  sin  committed  in  one  of  the 
former  states  of  existence,  alas  !  Forgive  me,  O  Yumi ! 
Forgive  me  !  "  and  the  stricken  man  broke  down  and 
wept. 

"  Was  it  you,  her  father,  who  killed  her  ?  "  cried 
O  Yumi,  in  horror. 

"  Oh,  my  child,  my  own  child  !  "  she  sobbed.  "  It 
was  your  fate  to  come  in  search  of  such  cruel,  un- 
natural parents.  When  you  told  me  of  the  hardships 
you  had  suffered  in  looking  for  them,  my  soul  was 
pierced  with  woe.  When  I  refrained  from  making 
myself  known  to  you  I  felt  as  though  my  heart  must 
break.  It  was  only  the  depth  of  my  love  for  you 
that  made  me  drive  you  away  from  our  door.  If 
only  I  had  kept  you  here  this  would  never  have  hap- 
pened. This  calamity  has  come  upon  us  as  a  result 
of  my  driving  you  away.  Forgive  me,  oh,  forgive  me  ! 
O  Tsuru,  O  Tsuru ! "  and  the  miserable  mother 
gathered  the  lifeless  form  of  her  little  daughter  to 
her  breast  and  rocked  herself  to  and  fro  in  the  frenzy 
of  grief  unutterable. 

"  Words  are  useless.  What  is  done  can  never  be 
undone.  If  only  I  had  not  known  that  she  possessed 
the  money  to  help  me  out  of  this  crisis  it  would  never 
have  happened.     Money  is  a  curse  !  "  he  said  in  broken 

36 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 


accents,  as  he  took  out  from  the  folds  of  the  child's 
dress  the  bag  containing  the  coins.  Opening  it  only 
three  ryo  *  were  disclosed. 

"  What  a  miserable  pittance  !  Can  this  be  all  ? 
I  made  a  mistake  in  thinking  she  had  a  great  deal. 
This  certainly  must  be  retribution  for  some  bad  action 
in  my  previous  existence  !  " 

His  hand  still  searching  the  bag  came  upon  a  letter. 
He  drew  it  forth  and  read  the  address  : 

"  To  Jurobei  and  his  Wife  !  " 

"  Ah  !   this  is  my  mother's  handwriting  !  " 
Jurobei  tore  it  open  and  began  to  read  : 

"  Ever  since  the  day  you  left  home  we  must  have  felt  mutual 
anxiety  concerning  each  other's  health  and  welfare.  This  is 
the  natural  feeling  between  parent  and  child,  so  I  shall  not 
write  more  upon  this  subject,  but  inform  you  of  the  real  reason 
for  this  letter  without  further  detail. 

£"  First  of  all  what  I  wish  to  tell  you  is,  that  it  has  come  to 
my  knowledge  that  Onota  Gunbei  has  the  lost  Kunitsugu 
sword  in  his  possession.  Immediately  I  tried  to  obtain  in- 
disputable evidence  of  this  fact,  but  as  I  am  only  a  stupid 
woman,  on  second  thoughts  I  feared  that  were  I  to  take  any 
steps  in  this  direction  it  might  result  in  more  harm  than  good. 
"  Intending,  therefore,  to  seek  you  out  and  let  you  proceed 
in  this  matter,  I  began  to  prepare  myself  and  O  Tsuru  for  the 
journey.  But  at  the  last  moment  I  was  suddenly  taken  with 
a  mortal  illness  and  was  compelled  to  relinquish  all  hope  of 
setting  out  to  find  you.  I  write  this  letter  instead.  As  soon 
as  it  reaches  your  hands  return  home  at  once. 

*  Ryo  =  Yen,  about  two  shillings,  but  in  those  times  equal  to 
perhaps  a  hundred  times  its  present  value. 

37 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

"  Restore  the  sword  to  its  rightful  owner  and  earn  your 
promotion — for  this  I  shall  wait  beneath  the  flowers  and  the 
grass." 

"  Oh,"  exclaimed  Jurobei,  "  then  it  was  Gunbei 
who  stole  the  sword.  How  grateful  I  am  to  my 
mother  for  this  discovery.  But  what  a  cruel  blow 
to  think  that  she  is  dead  !  " 

O  Yumi  took  the  letter  from  his  hand  and  continued 
to  read  aloud  : 

"  My  greatest  anxiety  now  is  concerning  little  O  Tsuru  left 
helpless  and  friendless,  and  about  to  start  alone  on  this  journey. 
If  by  the  mercy  and  help  of  the  Gods  she  reaches  you  safely, 
bring  her  up  tenderly  and  carefully.  She  is  a  clever  child. 
She  writes  and  plays  the  koto  well,  besides  being  clever  at  her 
needle,  and  can  skilfully  sew  crepe  and  silken  robes.  I  myself 
have  taken  pains  to  instruct  her,  and  am  proud  of  my  pupil. 
Give  her  an  opportunity  of  showing  her  handiwork,  and  then 
praise  her  both  of  you. 

"  She  brings  with  her  the  medicine  which  I  have  found  by 
experience  to  suit  her  best.  Should  she  ail  at  any  time,  fail 
not  to  administer  it.  Although  repetition  is  irksome,  yet  again 
I  beg  you  to  take  every  care  of  my  precious  grandchild." 

Here  O  Yumi,  unable  to  read  further,  broke  down 
in  lamentations  and  cried  aloud. 


* 


Now  the  spiteful  Butaroku,  finding  that  Jurobei 
did  not  come  to  pay  Izsemon's  debt  according  to 
agreement,  was  highly  incensed.  Knowing  that  the 
authorities  were  on  the  alert  to  seize  Jurobei,  he 
maliciously  went  and  lodged  information  of  his  where- 
abouts. 
38 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

Just  at  the  moment  they  had  finished  reading  the 
momentous  letter  the  officers  of  the  law  arrived  out- 
side the  house  with  a  great  noise,  shouting  and 
clamouring. 

Jurobei  and  O  Yumi,  to  gain  a  few  minutes'  time, 
snatched  up  the  body  of  O  Tsuru  and  quickly  con- 
cealed themselves  in  a  back  room. 

The  police  entered  and  a  scene  of  wild  confusion 
ensued.  Confident  of  finding  their  prey  hidden  some- 
where in  the  cupboards,  they  broke  down  the  walls, 
the  shoji,  the  boards  of  the  ceiling,  and  even  the  little 
shrine  dedicated  to  the  Goddess  Kwannon. 

Jurobei  had  in  those  few  moments  braced  himself 
up  for  a  desperate  fight.  He  would  rather  die  than 
surrender  to  the  law  before  his  mission  of  finding  the 
sword  had  been  accomplished.  Like  a  whirlwind 
he  rushed  into  the  room  where  his  adversaries  were 
battering  down  all  before  them,  and  like  a  demon  of 
fury  he  attacked  them,  mortally  slashing  with  his 
sword  each  man  that  attempted  to  lay  hands  on  him. 

The  savage  bravery  of  his  onslaught  was  terrific, 
and  so  dexterous  and  unerring  was  his  aim  that  he 
seemed  possessed  of  superhuman  strength  :  his  op- 
ponents were  terror-stricken,  and  in  a  few  minutes, 
like  a  spider's  nest,  when  the  threads  of  the  binding 
web  are  broken  by  rough  contact,  they  fled  for  their 
very  lives  and  rushed  scattered  in  all  directions. 

"  Now  is  our  time !  Let  us  escape  !  "  cried 
O  Yumi. 

Both  began  to  run  from  the  wrecked  house. 

39 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

"  You  have  forgotten  our  child  !  "  Jurobei  whispered 
brokenly. 

"  She  needs  our  anxiety  no  more.  She  is  safe 
beyond  the  suffering  of  this  world.  We  will  bury  her 
here  before  we  leave." 

Hurriedly  retracing  their  steps  they  re-entered  the 
house,  and  seizing  the  debris  that  lay  strewn  in  all 
directions,  placed  it  in  a  heap  upon  the  little 
corpse.  It  was  the  work  of  a  few  moments  to  light 
the  torches  :  this  was  the  sole  alternative  that  was 
left  them  to  prevent  their  beloved  dead  from  falling 
into  the  desecrating  hands  of  callous  strangers. 

It  was  impossible  to  carry  the  body  with  them  in 
their  flight. 

As  the  flames  crackled  and  blazed  up,  Jurobei  and 
O  Yumi  stood  side  by  side,  praying  for  the  departed 
soul  with  uplifted  hands  placed  palm  to  palm,  while 
they  watched  the  burning  of  their  child's  funeral  pyre. 


40 


PART  IV 

IT  was  springtime,  and  in  the  town  of  Tokushima 
the  cherry-blossoms  were  bursting  into  bloom. 
The  second  of  March  *  had  come,  and  Onoto 
Gunbei  was  secretly  rejoicing  in  the  wicked 
thought  that  his  schemes  for  the  disgrace  of  his  rival 
had  been  successful.  Sakurai  once  removed  from 
his  path,  his  own  advancement  would  be  certain.  To- 
morrow Sakurai  must  take  the  Kunitsugu  sword  to 
the  palace  and  lay  it  in  state  before  the  Daimio.  For 
reasons  of  his  own  Gunbei  knew  that  this  would  be 
a  matter  of  impossibility.  Sakurai  would  therefore 
be  suspected  of  having  stolen  it  and  his  degradation 
would  be  the  certain  result. 

Gunbei's  sinister  features  relaxed  into  a  malignant 
smile  as  he  proudly  stalked  along  the  road  on  his  way 
to  the  shrine  at  the  western  end  of  the  town. 

Two  of  his  retainers  were  following  at  a  respectful 
distance  in  his  rear. 

He  had  reached  the  precincts  of  the  temple  when 
one  of  these  men  came  hurrying  up  : 

"  My  lord  !  Jurobei,  the  man  for  whom  you  are 
constantly  on  the  look  out,  is  in  that  tea-house  close 
by.  I  have  just  recognized  him.  What  steps  shall 
we  take  ?  " 

*  March  by  the  old  calendar  fell  a  month  later  than  the 
present  way  of  reckoning. 

41 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

"  Very  good  !  "  said  his  master.  "  You  have  done 
well.  Let  us  hide  ourselves,  and  when  he  leaves 
the  place  rush  upon  him  unawares  and  seize 
him." 

Jurobei,  after  a  short  time,  walked  out  from  the 
hostelry.  His  mind  was  entirely  engrossed  with  the 
thought  that  the  sword  must  be  retrieved  from  Gun- 
bei's possession  before  the  morrow,  the  third  of  the 
third  month. 

As  he  abstractedly  strolled  along,  the  enemy  lying 
in  ambush  pounced  upon  him  from  behind.  But  his 
years  of  ronirCs  hard  and  reckless  life  had  trained  his 
muscles  to  such  phenomenal  strength  that  in  the 
tussle  that  followed,  within  a  few  rounds,  he  came  off 
triumphantly  the  victor. 

Gunbei,  who  had  been  a  spectator  of  this  unequal 
contest,  drew  his  sword. 

Jurobei,  noting  his  action,  caught  up  one  of  Gunbei's 
men  and  used  him  as  a  shield  to  ward  off  the  blows. 

The  news  of  the  fight  was  soon  carried  to  Sakurai, 
who  immediately  hurried  to  the  spot. 

Directly  he  became  aware  of  the  identity  of  Gunbei's 
opponent,  he  shouted  : 

"  What  presumption  to  stand  up  and  attack  your 
superior.     Surrender  at  once  !  " 

He  then  turned  to  Gunbei. 

"  I  will  take  him,  therefore  put  up  your  sword." 

Jurobei,  who  understood  that  this  was  strategy  on 
his  master's  part,  obediently  allowed  himself  to  be 
bound.  Sakurai  then  handed  him  over  to  Gunbei, 
42 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

who  gave  him  in  charge  of  his  henchmen  and  bade 
them  conduct  him  to  his  house. 

Gunbei's  joy  was  extreme  at  having  Jurobei  in  his 
power.  He  ordered  him  to  be  secured  to  a  tree  in 
the  inner  garden  while  he  stood  and  mocked  at  him. 

"  Ho,  Jurobei !  I  have  a  grudge  to  pay  off  against 
you.  Why  did  you  kill  two  of  my  men  three  months 
ago — tell  me  that  ?  " 

"  I  slew  them  because  they  intended  to  murder  my 
master,"  replied  Jurobei. 

"  Indeed  !  I  believe  that  you  are  also  the  man  who 
stole  the  sword  for  which  your  master  is  responsible — 
ho,  ho,  ho  !  You  are  both  robbers,  you  must  have 
connived  at  the  theft  of  the  sword  together — confess  !  " 

"  You  may  say  what  you  like  of  me,  but  you  lie 
with* regard  to  Shusen." 

In  a  rage  Gunbei  and  his  accomplices  put  their 
sheathed  swords  beneath  the  ropes  which  bound 
Jurobei,  and  twisted  them  round  and  round  so  that 
they  cut  into  the  flesh  and  inflicted  great  torture  on 
their  victim. 

Now  it  happened  that  Takao,  the  Daimio's  illegiti- 
mate half-sister,  whom  Izaemon  had  been  enabled  to 
rescue  from  the  infamous  quarter  through  Jurobei's 
help,  had  been  taking  refuge  in  Sakurai's  home.  Here 
she  had  been  seen  by  Gunbei,  who  had  fallen  madly 
in  love  with  her  beauty,  and  had  planned  to  make 
her  his  mistress.  One  day  in  the  absence  of  Sakurai 
he  had  sent  his  retainer,  Dotetsuke,  to  carry  her  off 
by  force. 

43 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

Takao,  now  installed  beneath  Gunbei's  roof,  was 
obliged  to  listen  to  his  dishonourable  advances,  but 
so  far  had  managed  to  repel  them.  She  was  in  the 
secret  of  the  lost  sword,  and  her  purpose  was  to  use 
the  present  occasion  as  an  opportunity  of  laying  hands 
on  it  if  possible. 

On  hearing  the  commotion  she  opened  the  shoji 
and  eagerly  scanned  the  direction  whence  it  arose. 
To  her  astonishment  and  distress  she  recognized 
in  the  bound  and  helpless  form  none  other  than  her 
valiant  friend  Jurobei.  The  thought  that  she  owed 
her  deliverance  from  her  wretched  past  to  his  chival- 
rous generosity  flashed  through  her  mind.  Trained  to 
resource  and  intrigue,  on  the  spur  of  the  moment  she 
resolved  to  pretend  that  Jurobei  was  her  brother. 
This  feigned  relationship  would  afford  them  facilities 
for  consultation  concerning  the  sword.  Impetuously 
advancing  to  the  edge  of  the  veranda,  she  looked 
earnestly  at  the  captive  and  uttered  a  piteous  cry  : 

"  Oh,  oh !  it  is  my  brother !  Oh !  my  poor 
brother !  " 

"This  is  interesting!"  jeered  Gunbei.  "Are  you 
really  brother  and  sister  ?  " 

Takao  implored  Gunbei  to  release  Jurobei. 

"  If  you  listen  to  me  I  will  set  him  free,"  replied 
Gunbei,  whose  desire  was  all  the  more  inflamed  by  her 
rejection  of  his  suit.  "  But  if  you  refuse  to  obey  me, 
I  will  torture  him  with  both  fire  and  water." 

Takao  wept  with  her  face  hidden  in  her  sleeves. 
"  Is  it  possible  that  you  are  a  samurai  ?  "  she  sobbed. 

44 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

"  Does  your  heart  know  no  sympathy — no  mercy  ? 
This  is  unendurable  !     I  cannot  bear  to  see  it !  " 

"  It  is  you  who  know  no  sympathy  either  for  me  or 
your  brother.  I  have  made  conditions  with  you, 
Takao.  It  rests  entirely  with  you.  Accept  my  love 
and  you  are  both  free." 

"  Such  a  matter  cannot  be  decided  of  my  own  will. 
I  am  a  woman  and  not  a  free  agent.  I  must  consult 
my  elder  brother." 

"  Very  well,"  responded  Gunbei,  "  if  you  cannot 
decide  this  by  yourself,  by  all  means  consult  with  your 
elder  brother  Jurobei — and  come  to  a  good  under- 
standing.    I  will  leave  you  both  for  a  while." 

At  a  sign  Gunbei's  henchmen  released  Jurobei. 
"  Persuade  your  sister  to  obey  me  and  I  will  forgive 
you  all  and  set  you  free.  I  must  have  Takao's  affec- 
tion. Think  well,  and  give  me  an  answer  that  will 
gladden  me." 

Then  turning  to  Takao  he  continued  : 

"  If  you  finally  reject  my  proposals  you  shall  both 
be  cruelly  put  to  death.  Your  two  lives  depend  upon 
your  will.  I  shall  await  your  decision  in  the  inner 
part  of  the  house." 

Here  Gunbei  retired.  Blinded  by  his  wild  passion 
for  the  unfortunate  girl  he  was  unable  to  see  the 
resolution  expressed  on  both  their  faces.  Both  his 
mind  and  soul  were  clouded  by  the  desire  to  possess 
at  all  costs  the  beautiful  woman  who  defied  him. 
Unaware  of  her  high  birth,  the  knowledge  of  which 
would  have  abashed  him  in  his  pursuit  of  her,  he 

45 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

considered  that  she  was  the  legitimate  prey  to  his 
will. 

Takao  and  Jurobei  were  left  alone.  They  entered 
the  room,  crossing  the  veranda.  Seating  themselves, 
Jurobei  made  a  profound  obeisance  at  a  respectful 
distance  from  Takao. 

"  Even  though  it  is  for  the  sake  of  the  Kunitsugu 
sword,  it  is  a  sacrilege  that  the  close  relative  of  our 
noble  Daimio  should  for  one  moment  be  called  the 
sister  of  such  a  poor  fellow  as  myself." 

"  It  is  not  worth  while  to  trouble  your  mind  about 
these  trifles  while  the  finding  of  the  sword  is  at  stake. 
Think  not  of  who  is  master  or  servant.  We  must 
find  the  sword  this  very  night." 

"  Yes,  yes,"  replied  Jurobei,  "  I  have  the  same 
purpose  as  yourself.  Now  is  a  good  opportunity. 
Gunbei  is  madly  in  love  with  you.  For  a  time  pre- 
tend to  listen  to  his  wooing — whatever  he  may  say 
do  not  let  it  anger  you — then  while  he  is  off  his  guard 
draw  out  the  sword  he  is  wearing  from  its  sheath  : 
if  the  habaki  (the  ring  which  secures  the  guard  to  the 
blade)  is  of  gold,  ornamented  with  carven  butterflies 
and  flowers,  and  the  markings  on  the  edge  of  the  blade 
is  the  midare-yake*  be  sure  that  it  is  the  missing 
Kunitsugu  sword.  Then  give  me  a  sign.  Till  that 
moment  I  will  be  waiting  in  concealment  close  at 
hand." 

*  Swords  of  different  smiths  were  distinguished  by  the  marks 
on  their  blades,  formed  by  the  different  methods  of  welding.  The 
midare-yake  is  an  undulating  line  like  the  waves  of  the  sea. 

46 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

"  Yes,  yes,"  answered  Takao.  "  Although  Gunbei's 
attentions  are  hateful  to  me,  it  is  my  duty,  for  the 
sake  of  the  sword,  to  pretend  to  yield  to  him  for  a 
short  time.  In  this  way  Sakurai  will  be  saved.  Let 
us  agree  upon  a  signal.  I  will  go  to  the  stream  and, 
throwing  some  cherry  flowers  into  it,  I  will  repeat : 

Hana  wa  sakura  : 
Hito  wa  bushi. 

The  cherry  is  first  among  flowers  : 
The  warrior  first  among  men." 

They  separated  quietly.  Takao  sank  upon  the  mats, 
musing  sadly.  The  prospect  that  lay  before  her  was 
utterly  revolting  to  her  mind.  Meanwhile  Gunbei, 
eager  to  know  the  result  of  the  conference  he  had 
permitted  between  the  two,  quietly  entered  the  room 
from  behind. 

Her  attitude  of  dejection  greatly  enhanced  her  pale 
and  aristocratic  beauty,  and  Gunbei  thought  that  she 
looked  more  ravishingly  lovely  than  he  had  ever  seen 
her  before.  The  sight  of  her  inflamed  his  longing  to 
possess  her  as  his  own. 

"  What  a  woman  !  "  he  thought  to  himself.  "  She 
shall  be  mine  !  " 

As  he  moved  across  the  room,  Takao,  who  was 
hitherto  unaware  of  his  presence,  started  to  her  feet. 

"  No,  no,"  remonstrated  Gunbei  in  seductive  ac- 
cents, "  I  cannot  allow  you  to  run  away — do  not  de- 
ceive yourself  for  one  moment.  I  have  come  for 
your  answer,  Takao.     It  is  '  Yes,'  is  it  not  ?  " 

47 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

He  thought  that  as  he  found  her  alone  and  in  this 
pensive  frame  of  mind  that  Jurobei  must  have  per- 
suaded her  to  become  his  paramour.  His  pulses 
throbbed  and  the  blood  in  his  veins  ran  fire.  In  his 
overmastering  passion  he  did  not  notice  that  his  would- 
be  victim  shuddered  as  he  took  her  hand  and  drew 
her  close  to  him  till  she  was  reclining  on  his  knees. 
Dreamily  he  whispered  : 

"  Takao,  you  are  as  beautiful  as  an  angel.  Yield 
to  my  desire  and  I  will  make  you  my  wife.  Only 
listen  to  me,  and  all  shall  be  as  you  wish  both  for 
yourself  and  your  brother,  Jurobei. — Come,  come  ! 
Let  us  belong  to  each  other  !  "  and  he  endeavoured  to 
draw  her  towards  the  inner  room. 

Takao,  in  the  meantime,  had  rested  her  hand  on 
the  hilt  of  his  sword  and  was  about  to  draw  it  from 
its  sheath. 

"  What  are  you  doing,  Takao  !  Why  do  you  touch 
my  sword  ?  "  asked  Gunbei  sharply,  roused  out  of  his 
reverie  of  love. 

"  Think  of  me  no  more  !  With  this  sword  I  will 
cut  off  my  hair  and  become  a  nun.  You  may  rest 
assured  that  never  shall  another  man  touch  me  all 
my  life." 

With  these  words  she  attempted  to  draw  the  sword 
from  his  girdle. 

Gunbei,  thwarted  in  his  longing  for  the  beautiful 
woman,  now  lost  his  temper.  He  pushed  her  roughly 
to  one  side  : 

"  You  scorn  my  love  then  ?     You  are  an  obstinate 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

creature  !  Instead  of  forgetting  you  I  will  torture 
Jurobei.  You  shall  soon  know  what  my  hatred 
means."  Clapping  his  hands,  he  called  his  confiden- 
tial servant : 

"  Dotetsuke  !     Dotetsuke  !  " 

When  the  man  appeared  his  master  wrathfully  gave 
the  imperious  command  : 

"  Tie  up  that  woman  to  yonder  cherry-tree." 

Dotetsuke  obediently  dragged  Takao  into  the 
garden  and  bound  her  with  the  rope  that  had  a  little 
time  before  made  Jurobei  a  prisoner  to  the  same  tree. 

Gunbei,  who  had  watched  the  execution  of  his  cruel 
order  from  the  veranda,  retired  into  the  room  to 
meditate  sulkily  on  his  ill-success.  His  heart  was 
bitter  within  him  with  chagrin  and  baffled  desire. 

Suddenly,  through  a  small  side  gate,  there  appeared 
a  priest  of  sinister  appearance  who,  approaching  the 
balcony,  saluted  Gunbei. 

"  According  to  your  wishes  I  have  prayed  seven 
days  in  succession  for  the  Daimio  of  Tokushima  to  be 
seized  with  mortal  illness.     Where  is  my  reward  ?  " 

"  Do  not  speak  so  loudly ! "  reproved  Gunbei. 
"  You  may  be  overheard  !  You  shall  be  duly  com- 
pensated for  your  services  later.  This  is  not  the  time. 
Return  at  once  !  " 

"  Yes,  yes,  I  will  obey  you,  but  do  not  forget  to  let 
me  have  the  money  soon." 

And  Kazoin,  the  wicked  priest,  fingering  his  rosary 
and  praying  for  evil,  departed  as  stealthily  as  he  had 
come. 

d  49 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

Meanwhile  the  unhappy  Takao  was  left  alone.  She 
struggled  to  free  her  hands  from  the  cords  that  cut 
into  her  tender  flesh,  but  in  vain. 

"  What  shall  I  do  ? "  she  sobbed.  "  Jurobei  must  be 
waiting  for  my  answer.  I  must  find  some  means  of 
letting  him  know  my  condition.  Is  there  no  way  by 
which  I  can  get  free  ?  I  am  powerless  to  find  the 
sword  or  to  help  Shusen." 

She  struggled  desperately  against  the  tree  and  in 
her  anguish  she  murmured  : 

"  Gunbei  is  surely  a  devil  in  human  form.  He  has 
stolen  the  sword  himself  in  order  to  incriminate  others. 
Shusen  will  be  lost  and  his  house  ruined  unless  we 
can  recover  it  this  very  night." 

In  her  violent  efforts  to  wrench  herself  free  the 
cherry-tree  was  shaken  and  several  blossoms  fell  into 
the  stream.  The  falling  flowers  brought  hope  and 
comfort  to  Takao's  heart. 

"  The  holy  Buddha  has  come  to  our  aid,"  she  re- 
flected. "  Jurobei  will  surely  see  the  flowers  in  the 
water,  and  think  that  it  is  the  pre-arranged  signal." 

Meanwhile  Jurobei,  from  his  hiding-place,  was 
watching  the  stream,  waiting  with  impatience  for  the 
promised  sign.  Just  as  he  was  beginning  to  chafe 
at  the  unexpected  delay  he  caught  sight  of  a  cluster 
of  white  blossoms  floating  down  the  current  of  the 
rivulet. 

"  Ah,  then  it  was  the  Kunitsugu  sword  which  Gunbei 
stole  and  wore  on  his  person,  never  letting  it  out  of 
his  sight  night  or  day." 

5° 


Gunbei  had  watched  the  execution  of  his  cruel  order  from  the  veranda 


<*  •  •      •    • 

•   "*•  •     •       •  * 

•  •  •  • : '  !•;•..-  • 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

Creeping  along  within  the  shadow  of  the  trees 
he  stealthily  made  his  way  across  the  inner  garden 
towards  the  room  where  he  expected  to  find 
Takao. 

But  what  was  his  surprise  when  he  came  upon  her 
bound  to  the  cherry-tree. 

"  Jurobei,  at  last  you  have  come  !  "  she  gasped. 

"  Takao  Sama,  whatever  has  happened  ?  Why  are 
you  treated  like  this  ?  " 

"  It  is  because  I  could  not  endure  Gunbei's  hateful 
attentions,"  she  answered,  weeping.  "  Help  me,  I 
cannot  move  !  " 

Jurobei  set  to  work  to  unfasten  the  ropes  and  in  a 
few  minutes  Takao  was  released. 

"  Leave  this  matter  to  me  !  "  advised  Jurobei.  "  I 
will  find  some  means  of  outwitting  Gunbei  yet." 

And  Jurobei,  followed  by  Takao  who  was  endeavour- 
ing to  arrange  her  disordered  robes,  boldly  strode 
into  the  room  of  his  enemy. 

The  screens  were  pushed  aside  and  Gunbei  appeared. 
He  glared  fiercely  at  the  intruding  couple. 

"  How  dare  you  release  that  woman  without  my 
permission  ?  " 

"  It  is  my  intention  to  counsel  her  to  comply  with 
your  wishes,"  replied  Jurobei,  "  therefore  have  I  set 
her  free — to  give  her  to  you  as  my  sister." 

"  Ya,  Jurobei,  have  your  powers  of  persuasion  in- 
duced your  sister  to  consent  to  my  proposals  ?  " 
inquired  Gunbei  in  mocking  tones. 

"  Yes,  I  know  not  which  I  am,  an  elder  brother  or  a 

51 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

go-between.  If  you  have  any  other  work  for  me, 
I  am  at  your  service." 

"  Ha,  ha  !  "  sneered  Gunbei,  "  then  as  your  sister 
agrees  to  please  me  we  shall  now  be  members  of  the 
same  family.  As  a  sign  that  we  are  closely  related, 
take  this  by  way  of  congratulation,"  and  suddenly 
drawing  his  sword,  he  slashed  at  Jurobei. 

Jurobei's  keen  eye  forestalled  the  action,  and,  skilled 
fencer  that  he  was,  like  lightning  he  seized  a  bucket 
close  at  hand  and,  holding  it  up,  adroitly  parried  the 
rain  of  blows  with  this  improvised  shield. 

"  What  does  this  mean  ?  "  he  exclaimed.  "  This  is 
too  much  attention  even  from  a  relative.  It  is  trouble- 
some. Surely  so  much  ceremony  between  members 
of  the  same  family  is  unnecessary.  Please  take  it 
back." 

Gunbei's  answer  was  another  wild  attack  on  Jurobei, 
who  nimbly  avoided  the  thrusts. 

While  his  whole  attention  was  engrossed  in  trying 
to  cut  down  Jurobei,  Takao  stole  behind  him  and 
snatched  the  long  sword  hanging  at  his  side  from  its 
sheath. 

"  Here  is  the  Kunitsugu  sword,"  she  joyfully  ex- 
claimed. 

On  hearing  these  words,  Gunbei  turned  like  a  demon 
of  fury  upon  her. 

"  If  you  have  found  it  I  will  kill  you  both,"  shouted 
Gunbei. 

But  before  he  could  execute  his  threat  Jurobei 
seized  him  from  behind. 

52 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

Dotetsuke,  a  secret  supporter  of  Shusen  Sakurai, 
and  who  all  this  time  has  acted  the  part  of  a  spy  and 
pretended  accomplice  in  Gunbei's  vile  schemes,  now 
escorted  his  real  master  upon  the  scene. 

Sakurai  loftily  addressed  his  unmasked  foe. 

"  Your  villainous  plots  are  all  laid  bare,  and  it  is 
impossible  for  you  to  escape  justice.  Confess  all  and 
pray  for  mercy." 

Gunbei,  choking  with  rage,  flung  off  Jurobei  and 
rushed  upon  his  abhorred  rival. 

Sakurai  skilfully  parried  the  onslaught,  seized 
Gunbei,  and  with  a  prodigious  effort  hurled  him  out 
into  the  garden. 

"  Dotetsuke  !  "  called  Sakurai,  "  come  and  help 
us!" 

"  Yes,  yes !  "  answered  the  man,  as  he  ran  to 
Jurobei's  assistance  in  holding  the  wretch  down. 

Gunbei  started. 

"  What  ?  Are  you  also  on  Shusen's  side  ?  "  and  he 
gnashed  his  teeth  in  impotent  fury. 

"  You  have  won  !  "  He  turned  to  Shusen.  "  It  is 
useless  for  me  to  attempt  to  conceal  the  truth.  I 
stole  the  sword,  thereby  hoping  to  bring  about  your 
ruin.  I  can  say  no  more.  Take  the  sword  and  return 
to  your  house.     Does  not  that  suffice  ?  " 

"  The  sword  is  but  a  small  part  of  the  crimes  you 
have  committed.  Listen,  villain  that  you  are  !  You 
have  done  a  much  greater  wrong.  Our  Lord,  the 
Daimio  of  Tokushima,  has  loaded  you  with  favours, 
and  you,  like  a  dastardly  traitor,  have  requited  his 

53 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

kindness  by  conspiring  to  compass  the  death  of  your 
benefactor." 

"  Silence,  Shusen  !  That  is  a  lie.  I  have  always 
hated  you  as  my  rival,  but  I  have  borne  no  spite 
towards  our  Lord.  What  proof  could  you  possibly 
have  for  such  base  allegations  ?  "  and  Gunbei  stared 
hard  at  his  accuser. 

Shusen  smiled  superciliously  as  he  clapped  his  hands. 
In  answer  to  the  summons,  Izaemon  led  in  a  prisoner, 
Kazoin,  the  wicked  priest. 

"  Here  are  my  witnesses  of  your  schemes  against 
the  life  of  the  Lord  of  Tokushima." 

Gunbei  realized  his  checkmate  :  there  was  nothing 
to  be  gained  by  lying  further.  He  was  a  declared 
traitor.  In  desperation  he  attempted  to  rally  his 
strength  and  attack  Sakurai  again,  but  he  was 
promptly  seized  and  again  thrown  down  into  the 
garden. 

"  You  are  a  bad  man,  Gunbei.  Our  Lord  shall 
judge  you."  Then  turning  to  the  men  he  gave  the 
command : 

"  Bind  him,  hand  and  foot !  " 

When  the  mortified  Gunbei  lay  helpless  and  cring- 
ing at  his  mercy,  Shusen  turned  to  his  trusty  vassal 
and  addressed  him,  saying  : 

"  Jurobei,  I  promote  you  in  my  service.  You  are  a 
true  and  faithful  knight.  Let  us  rejoice,  for  we  have 
triumphed  and  our  enemy  will  receive  his  deserts — 
he  is  defeated  !  " 

Takao  here  brought  forward  the  sword  and  placed 

54 


The  Quest  of  the  Sword 

it  slowly  and  ceremoniously  before  Jurobei  who  had 
staked  his  life,  his  house,  his  all,  and  lost  his  only 
child  in  the  tragic  search. 

"  It  is  found  in  time  !  "  she  said.  "  Look,  the 
dawn  breaks  !  It  is  the  morning  of  the  third  of 
March  !  " 

Receiving  the  weapon  with  a  profound  bow,  Jurobei, 
on  bended  knees,  raised  it  aloft  in  both  hands  and 
presented  it  to  his  feudal  master,  saying  : 

"  To  your  keeping  is  at  last  restored  the  stolen 
treasure  of  our  Daimio  !  "  and  thus  ended  the 

Quest  of  the  Lost  Sword 


Note. — Kunitsugu  was  the  name  of  a  famous  swordsmith  who 
lived  at  the  end  of  the  Kamakura  Period,  1367. 


55 


The  Tragedy  of  Kesa  Gozen 


The  Tragedy  of  Kesa  Gozen 


THE  beautiful  tragedy  of  Kesa  Gozen  has  been 
familiar  to  me  since  the  days  of  my  early 
youth,  when  hand  in  hand  I  walked  the 
school  garden  with  Fumiko,  my  friend,  and 
listened  with  the  ardour  of  a  romance-loving  nature 
to  the  many  stories  of  old  Japan,  and  more  especially 
of  its  heroines  of  antiquity,  with  which  she  loved  to 
make  me  familiar. 

Fumiko  was  the  daughter  of  a  naval  officer,  well 
versed  in  the  literature  of  her  own  land,  and  a  good 
English  scholar.  I  had  only  just  come  to  Japan, 
an  Anglo- Japanese  girl  who  had  been  brought  up  in 
England,  knowing  nothing  of  my  fatherland.  "  Friend- 
ships are  discovered,  not  made,"  says  a  philosopher, 
and  in  our  case  this  was  true.  In  her  delightful  and 
sympathetic  companionship  I  began  to  forget  the 
heart-aching  homesickness  for  my  motherland,  and 
to  learn  to  accustom  myself  to  the  strange  country 
to  which  fate  and  my  father  had  brought  me.  There 
is  nothing  more  pitiful  than  the  abysmal  loneliness 
and  utter  hopelessness  of  the  young,  cut  off  from  those 
they  love,  and  planted  in  antipodal  surroundings  ; 
they  have  no  experience  to  tell  them  that  misery, 
like  joy,  is  but  a  condition  of  time,  and  that  both 
pass  and  alternate.  Who  can  say  what  drew  us  to- 
gether ?  Yet  never  was  I  happier  than  when  she 
put  her  hand  in  mine  and  made  me  her  confidante, 

59 


The  Tragedy  of  Kesa  Gozen 

and  great  was  my  sorrow  when  she  married  and  left 
me  to  pace  the  garden  alone  and  to  the  memory  of  all 
the  stories  she  had  told  me.  To  her  I  owe  my  awaken- 
ing to  the  beauty  of  Japanese  romance  and  the  love 
of  those  old  tragedies. 

Many  years  have  passed  since  then,  but  when  I  was 
told  that  Danjiro  was  acting  the  drama  of  Kesa  Gozen 
at  the  Kabukiza  Theatre  my  mind  flashed  back  to 
those  convent-like  days  when  Fumiko  and  1 

Lo,  as  some  innocent  and  eager  maiden 
Leans  o'er  the  wistful  limit  of  the  world. 

Dreams  of  the  glow  and  glory  of  the  distance, 
Wonderful  wooing  and  the  grace  of  tears, 

Dreams  with  what  eyes  and  what  a  sweet  insistence 
Lovers  are  waiting  in  the  hidden  years, 

stirred  to  life  stories  of  love  and  duty,  old  as 
the  dawn  which  first  broke  upon  the  island  empire, 
yet  ever  new  and  living  while  hearts  throb  to  the 
music  of  the  ideal. 

But  I  am  long  in  coming  to  the  story  of  Kesa  Gozen. 
This  beautiful  and  touching  story  of  the  Japanese 
ideal  of  woman's  character  and  morals  is  told  in  the 
drama  called  Nachi-No-Taki  Chikai  No  Mongaku, 
"  The  Priest  Mongaku  at  the  Waterfall  of  Nachi  " 
(it  is  characteristic  of  the  Japanese  that  they  have 
ignored  the  heroine  in  the  title  of  the  drama),  which 
was  acted  by  Danjiro  Ichikawa,  the  star  of  the 
Japanese  stage,  at  the  Kabukiza  Theatre  during  the 
60 


The  Tragedy  of  Kesa  Gozen 

month  of  October  1902.  The  heights  of  romance 
and  tragedy  are  scaled,  and  the  pathos  of  a  woman's 
unflinching  and  voluntary  sacrifice  of  life,  rends 
the  heart.  The  heroine  is  not  a  Francesca  da  Rimini, 
caught  up  by  the  whirlwind  of  passion  and  blown 
whithersoever  it  listeth,  but  a  woman  who  finds  her- 
self confronted  by  a  vehement  and  determined  love, 
out  of  the  toils  of  which  she  sees  no  escape,  and  so, 
in  the  prime  of  youth  and  beauty,  to  save  her  hus- 
band's name,  her  mother's  life,  and  her  own  virtue, 
she  calmly  arranges  by  stratagem  to  die  by  the  hand 
of  her  impetuous  and  would-be  lover. 

These  tragic  events  took  place  in  the  year  1160, 
and  a  full  account  of  them  may  be  found  in  the 
"  Gempei  Seisuiki,"  a  record  of  the  rise  and  fall  of  the 
two  great  rival  clans,  the  Taira  *  and  the  Minamoto, 
whose  struggles  for  supremacy  disturbed  Japan  for 
many  years,  and  find  a  parallel  in  the  conflicts  of  the 
White  and  Red  Roses  in  England. 

What  is  known  historically  of  the  story  is  this. 
Kesa,  the  heroine,  was  the  only  child  of  a  widowed 
mother  called  Koromogawa,  after  the  place  of  her 
residence  during  her  married  life.  The  word  "  Koro- 
mo  "  means  the  vestments  of  a  priest,  and  her  daughter 
was  consequently  called  "  Kesa,"  which  means  the 
"  stole,"  her  real  name  being  Atoma.  Both  her 
father  and  grandfather  were  knights.  The  mother 
and  daughter  led  a  secluded  life,  always  bordering 

*  The  writer's  father  traces  his  descent  from  Taira  no  Kiyomori, 
the  clan's  chieftain. 

6l 


The  Tragedy  of  Kesa  Gozen 

on    poverty,    and     at    times     menaced     by    actual 
want. 

Koromogawa  took  charge  of  an  orphaned  nephew, 
a  boy,  a  few  years  older  than  Kesa,  and  the  two  young 
cousins  grew  up  together,  with  the  old-fashioned  re- 
sult that  the  lad  fell  in  love  with  the  lass.  At  the  age 
of  sixteen,  Yendo  Morito,  called  away  probably  on 
business  connected  with  his  clan,  had  to  leave  Kesa, 
just  then  budding  into  exquisite  beauty.  Before 
leaving  he  entreated  his  aunt  to  promise  him  Kesa  in 
marriage.  Koromogawa  complied.  Yendo  did  not 
return  for  five  years,  and  in  the  meantime,  Watanabe 
Wataru,  a  wealthy  and  handsome  young  warrior, 
proposed  for  the  hand  of  Kesa.  The  mother,  probably 
in  consideration  of  the  advantages  of  the  match  from 
a  worldly  point  of  view,  neglected  her  promise  to 
Yendo,  and  married  Kesa  to  Wataru,  who  also  was 
the  girl's  cousin.  After  they  have  been  married  two 
years  Yendo  Morito  returns  and  sees  his  lovely  young 
cousin  by  accident.  His  boy's  love,  cherished  fondly 
during  long  years  of  absence,  flames  into  a  man's  over- 
mastering passion  at  sight  of  her.  He  learns,  to  his 
despair,  that  she  is  married  to  another,  and  in  his 
wrath  determines  to  kill  his  aunt  who,  by  her  faith- 
lessness to  her  promise,  has  made  his  life  a  misery. 
He  rushes  out  and  entering  his  aunt's  house  draws 
his  sword  upon  her.  She,  to  gain  time,  weakly  pro- 
mises that  he  shall  see  Kesa  that  very  evening.  Yendo, 
fain  to  be  content  with  this  hope,  retires,  and  Koromo- 
gawa summons  her  daughter  by  a  letter. 
62 


The  Tragedy  of  Kesa  Gozen 

When  Kesa  arrives  she  finds  that  her  mother  has 
made  all  arrangements  to  kill  herself,  and  on  learning 
the  circumstances  she  undertakes  to  see  her  cousin, 
and  quiets  her  distressed  parent.  Then  she  inter- 
views Morito  and  tells  him  that  she  has  always  loved 
him,  but  before  she  can  be  his  he  must  first  put  her 
husband  out  of  the  way.  To  this  he  willingly  con- 
sents. She  bids  him  come  that  night  to  the  house, 
where  she  will  make  her  husband  wash  his  hair  and 
drink  wine  so  that  he  may  sleep  soundly.  Yendo  is 
to  steal  in  at  midnight  and,  by  feeling  for  the  damp 
hair,  find  and  slay  his  rival.  Kesa  returns  home, 
washes  her  own  hair,  and  sleeps  in  the  room  she  has 
pointed  out  to  Yendo,  having  carefully  put  her  hus- 
band to  sleep  in  an  inner  room. 

This  is  an  interesting  psychological  point,  and  is 
perhaps  obscure  to  the  Western  reader.  The  ethical 
training  of  a  Japanese  woman  teaches  her  that  in 
any  great  crisis  she  is  the  one  to  be  sacrificed.  Kesa, 
rather  than  be  the  cause  of  a  quarrel  which  would 
involve  her  husband  and  her  mother  in  a  blood-feud 
with  Yendo,  puts  herself  out  of  the  way,  and  by  doing 
so  not  only  saves  the  lives  of  all  concerned,  but 
preaches  a  silent  and  moving  sermon  to  her  kinsman, 
whose  ungoverned  conduct  is  contrary  to  the  teach- 
ing of  all  Japanese  moralists. 

The  mad  and  reckless  lover  comes,  but  when  he 
thinks  to  gaze  with  triumph  on  the  severed  head  of 
his  hated  rival  he  is  stricken  with  horror  to  find  that 
he  has  murdered  the  woman  he  loved  so  passionately. 

63 


The  Tragedy  of  Kesa  Gozen 

He  confesses  his  crime  to  the  husband  and  they  both 
become  monks.  Years  after,  from  the  obscurity  of 
the  monastery,  having  survived  a  long  interval  of 
austere  life  and  self-inflicted  penances,  there  rises  into 
the  prominence  of  political  life  a  monk  called  Mongaku, 
who  is  the  friend  and  counsellor  of  the  great  Shogun, 
Yoritomo,  the  head  of  the  Minamoto  clan.  Mongaku, 
the  monk,  is  the  knight  Yendo  Morito. 

It  is  the  opinion  of  some  that  Kesa  really  loved 
Yendo,  but  her  filial  obedience  obliged  her  to  marry 
the  man  whom  her  mother  chose  for  her.  Then,  when 
she  found  how  great  was  her  cousin's  love  for  her, 
and  knowing  that  in  her  heart  she  returned  his 
love,  but  that  she  could  not  be  his  without  sin, 
she  went  gladly  to  her  death,  rejoicing,  doubtless, 
that  it  was  by  the  sword  of  her  beloved  she  should 
perish.* 

This  version  is  the  more  beautiful  and  tragic,  for 
we  have  a  woman  triumphant  in  the  face  of  the 
strongest  temptation  that  can  ever  beat  against  a 
human  heart.  The  invincible  yearning  of  the  flesh 
must  have  been  there,  but  the  soul  battled  bravely 
and  won.  The  power  of  beauty,  the  joy  of  conquest 
in  love,  these  are  hers  ;  but  Kesa,  remaining  faithful 
to  duty,  by  her  death  places  the  honour  of  the  family 
beyond  all  danger  of  blemish  through  her. 

The  present  drama  does  not  recognize  this  latter 
version,  but  is  founded  on  the  former.     The  tragedy 

*  This  is  the  interpretation  that  the  writer  and  her  friend  put 
upon  the  heroine's  conduct. 

64 


The  Tragedy  of  Kesa  Gozen 

is  epic  from  beginning  to  end,  and  "  is  lifted  from 
the  outset  into  the  high  region  of  things  predestined." 
Fate,  like  some  dread  spider,  weaves  her  fatal  web 
of  love  and  doom,  and  Kesa  is  caught  in  the  meshes. 
The  grand  simplicity  of  the  play  and  the  purity  of 
purpose  of  the  heroine  recall  the  Greek  drama  and  the 
Roman  tragedy  of  Lucretia.  Kesa  allows  herself  no 
petty,  despicable  dalliance  with  admiration  ;  vanity 
lures  her  not  from  the  narrow  path  of  right.  She 
sees  that  nothing  will  swerve  Yendo  from  his  irre- 
sistible passion,  and  she  resolves  to  die.  "  Fear  in 
the  face  of  danger  dies,"  and  having  quickly  made 
up  her  mind  she  never  vacillates  nor  looks  back, 
but  moves  forward  with  the  dignity  of  sublime 
reserve  to  pre-determined  and  self-imposed  death. 
And  Kesa  was  only  seventeen  years  of  age.  Think 
of  it! 

Act  I.  The  play  begins  with  a  scene  in  the  open 
air.  A  new  bridge  has  been  built  near  the  town  of 
Osaka,  which  can  be  seen  with  the  hills  and  pine- 
trees  in  the  distance.  Numbers  of  Buddhist  priests 
appear  in  gorgeous  robes  and  offer  prayers  for  the 
safety  of  the  new  bridge. 

Some  village  officials,  a  retainer  of  Yendo  Morito, 
who  is  superintendent  of  the  works,  and  Watanabe 
Kaoru,  a  brother-in-law  to  Kesa,  the  heroine,  appear, 
and  the  young  knight  tells  those  present  that  his 
brother's  wife  Kesa  is  coming  to  see  the  opening  of 
the  new  bridge. 

E  65 


The  Tragedy  of  Kesa  Gozen 

In  a  few  minutes  Kesa,  the  picture  of  youth  and 
grace,  in  lovely  crepe  robes,  her  face  hidden  by  a 
gossamer  gown  held  over  her  head  with  both  hands 
(an  ancient  custom  resembling  the  Turkish  yashmak), 
comes  fluttering  over  the  bridge  like  some  radiant 
moth,  followed  by  two  attendants,  Tamakoto  and 
Otose.  Before  saluting  her  brother-in-law  Kaoru, 
she  removes  the  gauze  veil  and  reveals  to  all  a  face 
of  surpassing  loveliness — gracefully  oval  in  shape,  a 
complexion  white  as  the  lily,  lips  crimson  as  the  bud 
of  the  peach  blossom,  and  long  almond  eyes,  sur- 
mounted by  eyebrows  like  the  crescent  of  the  new 
moon.  She  speaks  to  her  brother-in-law,  who  tells 
her  that  he  is  going  to  see  her  cousin,  Yendo  Morito, 
the  superintendent  of  the  new  bridge.  Kesa  then 
prepares  to  retire  and,  donning  the  gauze-robe  yash- 
mak, her  attendants  helping,  she  turns  to  go  home. 
As  she  moves  away  Yendo  Morito,  on  horseback, 
crosses  the  bridge  and,  catching  sight  of  the  beautiful 
woman,  watches  her  disappear  into  the  distance. 
The  priest  and  officials  bow  in  polite  salutation,  but 
he  is  oblivious  to  everything  near  him,  for  his  gaze 
is  riveted  on  the  retreating  figure  of  Kesa.  He  thrills 
with  rapturous  emotion  at  the  sight,  and  happy 
memories  of  their  childhood  and  early  youth  rush 
over  him. 

The  tragedy  begins  here.  Yendo  Morito,  after 
several  years'  absence,  sees  his  cousin  for  the  first 
time  and,  shaken  with  a  mighty  love,  now  learns  that 
she,  who  was  promised  to  him  in  his  boyhood,  is 
66 


The  Tragedy  of  Kesa  Gozen 

already  the  wife  of  another — of  his  kinsman,  Watanabe 
Wataru. 


Act  II.  The  curtain  is  pulled  aside  upon  the 
maternal  home  of  Kesa,  a  small  thatched  cottage  in 
the  country  near  Kyoto.  The  whole  aspect  of  the 
little  home  denotes  genteel  poverty,  tranquil  retire- 
ment, and  spotless  cleanliness.  The  two  ladies  who 
accompanied  Kesa  in  the  first  Act,  Tamakoto  and 
Otose,  are  discovered  in  the  little  sitting-room  dis- 
coursing. Koromogawa,  an  old  lady  with  flowing 
grey  hair,  comes  out  from  an  inner  room  and  receives 
her  two  visitors.  In  the  course  of  conversation 
they  ask  her  to  tell  them  the  reason  why  she  has 
lived  so  long  in  such  a  remote  place  as  the  province 
of  Mutsu.  In  compliance  with  their  request,  Koromo- 
gawa says  : 

"  I  am  the  daughter  of  a  knight  who  held  the  pro- 
vince in  tenure  for  his  services  to  his  feudal  lord. 
My  husband  was  a  retainer  of  the  Governor  of  Mutsu, 
and  so  when  we  were  married  we  went  and  lived  at 
Koromogawa.  My  daughter  Kesa  was  born  to  me 
there.  Soon  after  my  husband  died,  and  I  went 
back  with  my  child  to  my  old  home,  and  have  since 
lived  a  quiet  and  humble  life.  On  my  return  the 
people  of  this  neighbourhood  called  me  after  the  place, 
Koromogawa,  where  my  married  life  had  been  spent, 
and  my  daughter  was  called  Kesa,  though  her  real 
name  is  Atoma.  She  grew  up  here  and  married 
Watanabe  Wataru." 

67 


The  Tragedy  of  Kesa  Gozen 

At  this  point  an  official  named  Gorokuro,  who  seems 
to  be  on  friendly  terms  with  the  old  lady,  comes  in 
and  sits  by  the  charcoal  hearth  and  makes  a  cup  of 
tea  for  every  one  present.  The  hearth  is  square,  sunk 
in  the  floor,  and  the  kettle  hangs,  gipsy  fashion,  over 
the  fire,  as  is  the  way  in  the  houses  of  the  poorer 
classes.  While  serving  tea  Gorokuro  complains  of  the 
behaviour  of  Yendo  Morito  during  the  building  of  the 
bridge.  This  young  and  impetuous  knight  treated 
the  workmen  in  such  a  rigorous  manner  that  in- 
subordination resulted,  and  he,  Gorokuro,  had  great 
trouble  in  controlling  them.  This  incident  gives  the 
key  to  the  young  knight's  character.  Korornogawa 
apologizes  to  Gorokuro  for  the  trouble  her  nephew 
Yendo  has  given  him. 

While  this  conversation  proceeds,  Kesa,  accom- 
panied by  one  of  her  husband's  retainers,  Kisoda  by 
name,  arrives.  Having  dropped  her  sandals  on  the 
stepping-stone  to  the  veranda,  she  removes  her 
veiling  robe,  enters  the  house,  and  greets  the  old 
lady  with  low  bows.  She  says  that,  whilst  on  her 
way  home  from  visiting  a  temple  with  her  husband, 
she  has  come  to  see  her  mother.  In  a  little  while 
the  two  ladies,  Tamakoto  and  Otose,  take  their  leave, 
and  Kesa  and  her  mother  retire  to  an  inner  room. 

Yendo  Morito  is  now  seen  approaching  the  house 
along  the  hana-micki,  and  announces  himself  at  the 
gate.  Korornogawa,  in  answer  to  the  call,  comes  out 
to  receive  him  and  asks  his  business.  He  replies  that 
his  business  is  private  and  that  he  must  speak  with 
68 


The  Tragedy  of  Kesa  Gozen 

her  in  secret.  Koromogawa  then  ushers  her  nephew 
into  a  back  room,  and  the  passing  of  the  daylight  is 
marked  by  the  lighting  of  a  candle.  As  he  enters 
the  house  he  starts  at  the  sight  of  a  woman's  sandals 
on  the  steps,  and  evidently  guesses  that  Kesa  is  near 
at  hand.  Little  dreaming  of  the  storm  that  is  brew- 
ing, the  old  lady  asks  her  nephew  to  be  seated.  He 
ominously  remains  standing  with  his  hand  upon  his 
sword.  Suddenly  the  young  knight's  eyes  flash,  he 
snatches  the  sword  from  its  sheath,  and  seizing  his 
astonished  aunt,  his  pent-up  sense  of  injury  and  the 
misery  of  his  thwarted  hopes  find  vent  in  these  words  : 

"  Prepare  to  die  at  once  !  You  are  my  enemy,  and 
I  am  of  the  Watanabe  clan,  who  never  allow  their 
enemies  to  live  even  for  a  day." 

"  What  wrong  have  I  done  you  that  you  should 
wish  to  kill  me  ?  "  exclaims  the  terrified  woman. 

"  Five  years  ago,  before  I  went  away,  you  promised 
to  give  me  Kesa  in  marriage.  I  come  back,  and  at 
the  opening  of  the  Watanabe  bridge  I  see  her,  but 
only  as  the  wife  of  another.  I  have  always  loved 
Kesa,  and  now  I  am  bitterly  disappointed  and  sick — 
sick  with  hopeless  love  and  despair.  It  is  true  no 
correspondence  has  passed  between  us,  but  that  has 
nothing  to  do  with  your  promise.  Ever  since  I  last 
saw  Kesa  I  L^ve  been  ill,  and  I  cannot  and  will  not 
live  without  her.  This  is  all  your  fault.  You  are  my 
enemy,  you  shall  die  !  and  I  will  then  kill  myself. 
We  will  die  together — prepare  yourself  !  " 

"  Wait  a  moment !  "  shrieks  the  terrified  mother. 

69 


The  Tragedy  of  Kesa  Gozen 

"  I  did  not  mean  to  break  my  promise,  but  Wataru 
compelled  me  to  give  her  to  him.  If  you  really  still 
love  her  I  will  get  her  back  somehow  or  other.  Only 
calm  yourself  and  listen  to  reason." 

But  the  young  knight  is  reckless  to  madness  ;  the 
old  woman's  pleading  is  lost  upon  him  and,  perhaps 
guessing  that  Kesa  is  in  the  next  room,  he  determines 
to  appeal  to  her  filial  piety  so  as  to  make  her  appear. 
He  raises  his  sword  and  seizes  his  aunt  again,  but  he 
has  no  time  to  strike  :  the  sliding  of  a  screen,  the 
rustle  of  a  woman's  silken  garments,  and  between 
Yendo  and  the  victim  of  his  vengeance  there  darts 
the  lovely  Kesa — his  arm  is  stayed  by  her  small  hand, 
and,  tremulous  with  agitation,  a  voice  he  has  longed 
to  hear  for  many  lonely  years  says  : 

"  Spare  my  poor  old  mother  !  " 

The  mother  throws  herself  between  Kesa  and  Yendo, 
crying  : 

"  I  am  ready  to  die.  You  must  not  sacrifice  your 
virtue  to  save  me." 

Kesa  again  intervenes  between  her  lover  and  her 
mother  ;  again  the  mother  throws  herself  in  an  agony 
of  dread  between  them  ;  but  at  last  Kesa  persuades 
the  old  woman  to  retire  and  to  leave  all  to  her  dis- 
cretion. Koromogawa  then  goes  into  the  next  room. 
The  knight  fixes  his  gaze  upon  his  beautiful  cousin, 
he  trembles  with  emotion,  and  the  resolve  to  possess 
her  strengthens  within  his  storm-tossed  soul.  She 
belongs  to  him  by  prior  right.  He  had  asked  for  her, 
and  she  had  been  promised  to  him  before  Wataru 

7° 


Yendo  draws  his  sword,  when  between  him  and  the  victim  of  his 
vengeance  there  darts  the  lovely  Kesa 


(    <   t    c 


tic 

I    c 


The  Tragedy  of  Kesa  Gozen 

thought  of  her  ;  what  right  had  her  mother  to  give 
her  to  Wataru  ?  Anger  sweeps  away  all  remem- 
brance of  the  past  and  of  what  he  owes  his  aunt. 
Jealousy  and  desire,  and  hatred  of  the  one  whom  he 
thinks  has  wronged  him,  alone  remain.  In  vain  Kesa 
gently  pleads  and  expostulates.  As  if  impatient  of 
the  delay  of  his  vengeance,  Yendo  once  more  seizes 
his  sword  and  rushes  towards  the  inner  room.  Then 
Kesa  wheels  round  upon  him,  and  with  her  cheek 
close  to  his,  her  gorgeous  crepe  draperies  touching 
him  and  her  hand  upon  his  arm,  she  whispers  in  his 
ear  : 

"  I  have  always  loved  you,  Yendo.  If  you  really 
love  me  as  you  say,  you  must  first  put  my  husband 
out  of  the  way,  and  I  am  yours." 

"  How  can  I  kill  him  ?  "  whispers  the  determined 
man. 

"  Come  to-morrow  night  and  steal  into  the  bedroom 
of  my  husband.  I  shall  make  him  drunk  with  wine. 
You  can  identify  him  by  touching  his  hair,  for  I  shall 
induce  him  to  wash  it  before  retiring,  and  you  will 
find  the  locks  wet." 

As  Kesa  whispers  her  plan  the  tense  figure  of  the 
desperate  knight  relaxes  from  its  stern  purpose  of 
murder.  Thrilling  with  hope  and  passion,  he  turns 
to  her,  and  in  the  attitude  of  her  abandonment  and 
yielding  to  his  will  he  sees  the  vision  of  their  united 
happiness — the  gratification  of  his  passionate  desires. 
Little  does  his  wild  and  lawless  nature  dream  of  the 
escape  which  the  noble  woman  will  force  out  of  the 

7i 


The  Tragedy  of  Kesa  Gozen 

toils  fast  closing  round  her.  The  picture  as  the 
two  stand  together  is  intensely  dramatic,  and  vibrates 
with  the  portent  of  a  mighty  crisis. 

Act  III  opens  upon  the  fine  residence  of  Watanabe 
Wataru,  the  husband  of  Kesa.  The  gleaming  cream 
wood  of  the  veranda  and  the  posts,  the  fineness  of 
the  matting,  the  dainty  white  and  gold  of  the  walls 
and  screens  are  all  part  of  the  exquisite  refinements 
of  a  wealthy  Japanese  home.  Kesa  and  her  husband 
are  discovered  sitting  side  by  side  in  a  room  opening 
on  the  garden.  A  large  slab  of  granite  forms  the 
stepping-stone  from  the  veranda  and  a  line  of 
irregular  slabs  makes  a  pathway  to  the  bamboo  gate 
which  shuts  off  the  outer  garden.  The  whole  arrange- 
ment and  the  atmosphere  are  realistic  of  a  Japanese 
home. 

The  young  people,  both  magnificently  robed,  have 
only  just  retired  to  their  sitting-room,  for  they  have 
been  entertaining  guests  at  a  banquet.  The  only 
furniture  in  the  room  is  a  sword-stand,  on  which  the 
knight  places  his  long  weapon,  the  insignia  of  samurai 
honour.  Before  them  is  a  small  low  table  *  {sambo) 
of  white  wood,  on  which  stands  a  white  wine-jar  and 
her  husband's  drinking-cup.  Kesa  dismisses  the  two 
servants  in  attendance,  and  then  proceeds  to  pour 
out  some  wine  for  her  husband.  Wataru  little 
dreams  that   it  is  the   last   cup   his   wife  will   ever 

*  These  simple  white  utensils  are  always  used  in  Shinto 
ceremonies. 

72 


Wataru  little  dreams  that  it  is  the  last  cup  his  wife  will  ever 

drink  with  him 


. 


The  Tragedy  of  Kesa  Gozen 

drink  with  him,  though  to  her,  knowing  her  pre- 
meditated and  self-arranged  doom,  the  little  cere- 
mony has  not  only  a  sacrificial  symbolism,  but  the 
appalling  pathos  and  irrevocable  pitilessness  of  a  last 
love  rite. 

Wataru  drains  the  wine-cup  and,  handing  it  to  Kesa, 
pours  the  wine  out  for  her.  Kesa  drinks,  and  then, 
overcome  at  last  by  a  sadness  which  her  husband  does 
not  understand,  turns  away  and  weeps.  She  ex- 
plains that  her  tears  spring  from  the  thought  of  the 
unchangeable  love  between  husband  and  wife,  which 
would  last  even  after  death.  He  replies  that  the 
knowledge  of  their  mutual  faithfulness  should  be  a  joy 
and  not  a  grief.  While  thus  conversing  in  the  hush 
of  night,  the  deep  mellow  tone  of  a  temple  bell  an- 
nounces the  hour  of  midnight.  Kesa  persuades  her 
husband  to  retire  to  her  own  bedroom  this  night. 
On  her  knees  she  pushes  aside  the  screens  leading  to 
an  inner  room,  and  as  he  passes  in  she  bows  with  her 
head  to  the  floor,  and  then  closes  them  after  him. 
Never  will  she  see  her  husband  again,  yet  her  self- 
control  is  so  great  that  she  gives  no  sign  of  the  emotion 
which  must  have  surged  over  her  at  that  moment. 
She  knows  that  it  is  an  eternal  farewell,  yet  she  allows 
Wataru  to  pass  from  her  sight  with  only  the  usual 
greeting. 

For  a  little  time  she  stands  like  one  dazed  ;  then, 
recollecting  herself,  she  disappears  for  a  few  minutes 
and  returns  alone:  the  veranda.  Now,  for  the  first 
time,  those  that  do  not  know  the  story  divine  the 

73 


The  Tragedy  of  Kesa  Gozen 

tragic  end.  Her  long  black  hair  streams,  wet  and 
heavy,  over  her  shoulders,  and  she  feels  it  as  she 
moves  along  to  make  sure  that  it  is  quite  wet.  On 
her  arm  she  carries  one  of  her  husband's  kimono  and 
his  ceremonial  cap,  all  necessary  for  the  deception 
of  Yendo.  Her  aspect  expresses  hopeless  grief  and 
resignation.  Twice  in  her  slow  progress  to  the  outer 
room  she  stops  and  weeps.  She  looks  out  upon  the 
still  garden,  and  the  coolness  of  the  fragrant  air  and 
the  soothing  silence  of  the  autumn  night  must  seem 
to  mock  her  woe.  At  the  second  outburst  of  grief 
it  seems  for  a  moment  as  if  her  resolution  has  failed 
her.  She  lays  her  cheek,  in  a  passion  of  yearning  and 
tenderness,  on  the  robe  she  carries,  and  her  tears  fall 
fast  at  the  thought  of  her  happy  wedded  life,  so  soon 
to  be  cut  short  by  the  lawless  desire  of  another  man. 
There  will  be  no  one  to  pray  for  her  old  mother  when 
she  dies — it  should  be  a  daughter's  duty  to  offer  the 
daily  incense  to  a  mother's  departed  spirit ;  she  can 
never  know  the  pride  of  bearing  a  son  to  preserve 
the  name  of  her  husband's  family.  Oh  !  the  pity 
of  it — the  pity  of  it !  These,  and  more  than  these, 
must  have  been  her  sad  thoughts.  That  she  was  loth 
to  leave  the  world  we  learn  by  the  poem,  written  in 
these  moments  of  anguish,  which  she  left  with  her 
farewell  letter  to  her  mother.  She  raises  her  head  at 
last  and  comes  forward.  Her  husband's  honour,  her 
mother's  life,  and  her  own  purity  are  at  stake  ;  the 
weakness  of  sorrow  vanishes — there  is  no  other  way 
than  this.     Her  beauty  is  the  sin,  for  it  has  roused 

74 


The  Tragedy  of  Kesa  Gozen 

Yendo's  passion  :    her  beauty  must  pay  the  penalty 
— her  life  is  the  sacrifice. 

To-night — as  she  planned  when  she  rushed  in  upon 
the  tumultuous  scene  between  her  mother  and  Yendo 
— she  will  sleep  in  her  husband's  room,  and  when 
Yendo  her  cousin  comes,  instead  of  killing  her  husband, 
his  sword  will  cut  off  her  own  head.  She  lifts  the 
bamboo  curtain  which  hangs  before  the  room  at  the 
end  of  the  veranda  and  passes  to  her  doom. 

The  stage  is  darkened  and  empty.  An  impressive 
interval  of  silence  and  inaction  follows.  The  audience 
throbs  with  the  sustained  sense  of  impending  catas- 
trophe and  fatality  hanging  over  the  house.  The 
awful  pregnancy  of  the  situation  is  intensely  realistic, 
and  its  contrasts  are  strikingly  dramatic.  In  the 
inner  room — his  wife's  room,  their  happy  bridal 
chamber — lies  the  husband,  wrapt  in  peaceful  sleep, 
pitifully  unconscious  of  the  tragedy  which  is  being 
enacted  within  a  few  feet  of  him.  In  the  outer  room 
the  young  wife  lies  waiting  in  the  lonely  dark  for  the 
sword  of  her  lover.  Who  can  realize  the  tension  of 
those  last  minutes,  stretched  to  eternity  by  the  agony 
of  suspense  ?  If  by  any  chance  her  plan  fails,  her 
husband  or  her  cousin  will  be  killed,  or  both.  What 
if  Wataru,  roused  by  some  slight  noise,  come  out  to 
find  Yendo  approaching  the  room  where  she  has 
arranged  to  sleep  ;  what  construction  must  he  put 
upon  these  circumstances.  And  then,  her  senses 
sharpened  by  suffering  and  by  the  unutterable  loneli- 
ness of  the  awful  situation,  she  thinks  that  she  catches 

75 


The  Tragedy  of  Kesa  Gozen 

the  first  faint  sound  of  Yendo's  stealthy  footsteps. 
She  counts  them  as  they  draw  near,  and  as  the  bamboo 
curtain  is  raised  and  the  swish  of  the  sword  falls  upon 
her  in  the  dark,  she  smiles  to  think  that  the  struggle 
is  over,  that  she  has  triumphed,  and  thus  she  faces 
death  with  the  magnificent  courage  with  which  she 
had  planned  it. 

Yendo  Morito  arrives.  His  long  sleeves  are  looped 
back,  ready  for  his  dreadful  work,  and  in  his  hand 
he  carries  a  drawn  sword.  Swiftly  and  noiselessly 
he  moves  along  the  veranda ;  pauses  for  a  few 
moments  outside  the  room  where  lies  asleep,  as  he 
imagines,  the  only  obstacle  between  him  and  the 
woman  he  loves — loves  so  passionately,  madly,  and 
blindly  that  he  is  willing  to  use  the  murder  of  his 
kinsman  as  a  stepping-stone  to  reach  her.     He  enters. 

The  stage  revolves.  The  courtyard  of  a  temple  is 
the  next  scene,  surrounded  by  a  wall  with  stone  steps 
leading  up  to  the  outer  court.  The  murderer  is  seen 
coming  out  upon  the  top  of  the  steps  into  the  moon- 
light :  he  carries  something  covered  under  his  arm. 
Turning  towards  the  flood  of  moonlight  with  a  fierce 
and  unholy  joy  at  the  thought  of  gazing  on  his  rival's 
head,  he  uncovers  what  he  carries.  To  his  unspeak- 
able horror  and  amazement  .he  moonlight  reveals 
the  head  of  Kesa — his  love — not  chat  of  Wataru, 
whom  it  was  his  purpose  to  kill.  Unable  to  believe 
his  eyes,  he  raises  the  head  by  the  wet  hair  once  more 
into  the  full  light  of  the  moon.  There  is  no  mistake. 
He  recoils  in  a  great  revulsion  of  feeling  as  the  truth 

76 


To  his  unspeakable  horror  and  amazement  the  moonlight  reveals 
the  head  of  Kesa— his  love  ! 


The  Tragedy  of  Kesa  Gozen 

forces  itself  upon  his  unwilling,  shrinking  mind,  all 
his  strength  goes  from  him,  he  reels  and  staggers  like 
a  drunken  man,  and  gasping  for  breath,  he  falls  upon 
the  steps  overcome  with  uttermost  anguish  and  re- 
morse. In  that  awful  moment  he  sees  the  hideousness 
of  his  crime  and  the  wickedness  of  his  heart  in  its 
true  light.  The  cloud  of  darkness,  as  the  Japanese 
say,  rolls  back  from  his  soul,  and  he  is  smitten  to 
earth  with  the  sense  of  his  guilt  and  misery. 

The  fourth  scene  of  this  Act  represents  the  front 
gate  of  Wataru's  house.  It  is  the  morning  following 
the  last  scene.  Outside  stand  numerous  tradesmen — 
the  rice-man,  the  fishmonger,  and  some  samurai — all 
unable  to  effect  an  entrance,  for,  though  late  in  the 
morning,  the  house  is  still  closed.  After  repeated 
knocking,  Kisoda  and  Otose  appear  and  tell  them 
that,  on  account  of  an  unfortunate  event  which  has 
occurred  in  the  house,  they  must  be  asked  to  with- 
draw for  the  day.  The  tradesmen  then  go  grumbling 
away. 

The  next  scene  represents  the  familiar  chamber 
where  Wataru  and  Kesa  sat  together  the  evening 
before.  In  the  middle  of  the  room  lies  an  ominous 
pile  of  quilts  covering  the  remains  of  Kesa,  splendidly 
dead  by  her  own  will.  Before  the  corpse  of  his  young 
wife  sits  the  husband,  the  picture  of  mute  and  stoic 
grief.  Opposite  him  is  Koromogawa.  Behind  her 
again  are  Tamakoto  and  Otose.  Wataru  tells  them 
that  last  night  he  slept  in  his  wife's  room  in  compliance 
with  her  wish,  while  she  retired  to  his  room.     That  in 

77 


The  Tragedy  of  Kesa  Gozen 

the  morning  he  found  her  killed  and  her  head  carried 
away,  and  that  no  clue  or  trace  of  the  murderer  can  be 
discovered.  He  says  he  can  hardly  speak  for  grief 
at  the  loss  of  Kesa  and  the  disgrace  his  knighthood 
has  suffered. 

An  attendant  here  rushes  in  and  says  that  Yendo 
insists  on  seeing  Wataru.  Wataru  sends  a  message 
to  say  that  he  cannot  receive  him  now.  The  servant 
returns  to  say  that  Yendo  is  forcing  his  way  into  the 
house,  and  that  it  is  impossible  to  check  him.  Yendo 
rushes  in  like  a  whirlwind  and  seats  himself  outside 
the  room,  on  the  veranda.  He  lays  the  head  down 
before  them  all  and  confesses  his  crime,  with  all  the 
circumstances  relating  to  it.  Then  comes  the  most 
heart-rending  part  of  the  tragedy.  The  old  mother 
tenderly  unwraps  the  head  and,  folding  it  to  her 
bosom,  gives  way  to  a  loud  and  long  paroxysm  of 
grief.  Wail  after  wail  bursts  from  her.  She  rocks 
herself  in  wild  abandonment  to  the  poignancy  of  an 
overwhelming  and  totally  unexpected  sorrow.  The 
samurai  stoicism  of  the  husband  avails  him  not  in  this 
hour  of  bitter  trial.  He  wipes  his  slow  tears  furtively 
away.  Tamakoto  brings  out  a  letter  of  Kesa's  found 
in  the  room  where  she  was  killed.  Yendo  snatches 
up  the  letter,  spreads  it  out  before  him,  and  reads  it 
aloud.  It  is  addressed  to  her  mother,  and  may  be 
rendered  into  English  as  follows  : 

"  I  have  always  heard  [this  is  a  humble  form  of 
expression  which  women  are  supposed  to  use — they 
must   never  assert  a   fact]  that  woman   is  a  sinful 

78 


The  Tragedy  of  Kesa  Gozen 

creature  [because  of  her  beauty,  which  lures  men  to 
sin].  I  fear  that  many  people  [meaning  her  mother, 
husband,  and  admirer]  are  in  danger  of  their  lives 
because  of  me.  Mother,  I  know  that  you  will  sorrow 
much  if  I  die,  and  I  am  sorrowful,  thinking  of  the  grief 
which  I  must  cause  you.  I  intend  to  expiate  my  sin 
[meaning  the  sin  of  being  beautiful,  which  has  caused 
Yendo  to  love  her]  by  death.  Weep  not  for  me,  and 
though  it  should  be  my  place  to  pray  for  you,  I  be- 
seech you  to  pray  for  the  rest  of  my  soul  when  I  have 
departed  on  the  journey  of  death.  I  can  understand 
your  sorrow,  and  this  is  the  only  anxiety  I  feel  at  this 


moment." 


Morito  now  presents  his  sword  to  Wataru  and  re- 
quests him  to  take  life  for  life,  and  to  behead  him  in 
order  to  avenge  his  wife's  death.  Wataru  replies 
that  he  has  no  wish  to  kill  him,  since  he  has 
confessed  and  repented  of  his  crime.  "  Let  us 
forsake  this  worldly  life  and  become  followers  of 
Buddha,  and  spend  the  rest  of  our  lives  in  praying 
for  Kesa." 

Then  and  there  the  two  knights,  first  Wataru  and 
then  Yendo,  take  their  swords  and  cut  off  their  queues 
of  hair.*  Tamakoto  brings  in  a  low  table,  and  on  this 
Koromogawa  places  the  head  of  Kesa.  A  tray  with 
an  incense-burner  is  now  placed  before  the  ghastly 
presence.  The  stricken  mother,  having  set  the  in- 
cense burning,  takes  her  rosary  and  bows  her  head  in 
prayer  to  the  brave  departed  spirit.  Wataru  now 
*  Buddhist  priests  shave  their  beads. 

79 


The  Tragedy  of  Kesa  Gozen 

moves  towards  the  extempore  shrine,  and  worships 
with  his  face  hidden. 

In  the  presence  of  transcendent  virtue  and  sublimely 
unselfish  heroism,  the  sinner  is  forgotten.  The  silent 
scene  of  woe  and  desolation  is  too  much  for  the  peni- 
tent Yendo  ;  he  rises,  and  with  one  last-lingering  look 
turns  to  go  into  his  lifelong  retreat  from  the  world. 
Thus  the  stupendous  tragedy,  from  the  pitch  of  dis- 
traction and  calamity,  is  brought  to  a  quiet  and 
reconciling  close. 


Note. — The  title  of  the  play,  The  Priest  Mongaku  at  the  Water- 
fall of  Nachi,  is  taken  from  the  last  scene,  which  represents  the 
monk  Mongaku  undergoing  his  self-inflicted  penance  of  sitting 
under  this  famous  waterfall  where  he  would  have  died  had  not 
two  Buddhist  deities  descended  from  Heaven  to  rescue  him. 
This  I  have  omitted  as  I  considered  it  an  anti-climax.  It  is  an 
historical  fact,  however,  that  Mongaku,  to  purge  himself  of  his 
sins,  did  undergo  these  terrible  austerities  and  sufferings. 


80 


The  Spirit  of  the  Lantern 


F 


His  grandfather  had  been  a  retainer  of  Ota  Dokan   .   .   .  and  had  committed 

suicide  when  his  lord  fell  in  battle 


The  Spirit  of  the  Lantern 

SOME  three  hundred  years  ago,  in  the  province 
of  Kai  and  the  town  of  Aoyagi,  there  lived 
a  man  named  Koharu  Tomosaburo,  of  well- 
known  ancestry.  His  grandfather  had  been 
a  retainer  of  Ota  Dokan,*  the  founder  of  Yedo,  and 
had  committed  suicide  when  his  lord  fell  in  battle. 

This  brave  clansman's  grandson  was  Tomosaburo, 
who,  when  this  story  begins,  had  been  happily  mar- 
ried for  many  years  to  a  woman  of  the  same  province 
and  was  the  proud  father  of  a  son  some  ten  years  of 
age. 

At  this  time  it  happened,  one  day,  that  his  wife  fell 
suddenly  ill  and  was  unable  to  leave  her  bed.  Physi- 
cians were  called  in  but  had  to  acknowledge  them- 
selves baffled  by  the  curious  symptoms  of  the  patient : 
to  relieve  the  paroxysms  of  pain  from  which  she 
suffered,  Moxalyvas  applied  and  burned  in  certain 
spots  down  her;back.  But  half  a  month  passed  by 
and  the  anxious  household  realized  that  there  was  no 
change  for  the  better  in  the  mysterious  malady  that 
was  consuming  her  :  day  by  day  she  seemed  to  lose 
ground  and  waste  away. 

Tomosaburo  was  a  kind  husband  and  scarcely  left 
her  bedside  :  day  and  night  he  tenderly  ministered 
to  his  stricken  wife,  and  did  all  in  his  power  to  alleviate 
her  condition. 

*  15 13,  date  of  Ota  Dokan 's  death. 

83 


The  Spirit  of  the  Lantern 

One  evening,  as  he  was  sitting  thus,  worn  out  with 
the  strain  of  nursing  and  anxiety,  he  fell  into  a  doze. 
Suddenly  there  came  a  change  in  the  light  of  the 
standing-lantern,  it  flushed  a  brilliant  red,  then  flared 
up  into  the  air  to  the  height  of  at  least  three  feet, 
and  within  the  crimson  pillar  of  flame  there  appeared 
the  figure  of  a  woman. 

Tomosaburo  gazed  in  astonishment  at  the  appari- 
tion, who  thus  addressed  him  : 

"  Your  anxiety  concerning  your  wife's  illness  is 
well-known  to  me,  therefore  I  have  come  to  give  you 
some  good  advice.  The  affliction  with  which  she  is 
visited  is  the  punishment  for  some  faults  in  her 
character.  For  this  reason  she  is  possessed  of  a 
devil.  If  you  will  worship  me  as  a  god,  I  will  cast 
out  the  tormenting  demon." 

Now  Tomosaburo  was  a  brave,  strong-minded 
samurai,  to  whom  the  sensation  of  fear  was  totally 
unknown. 

He  glared  fiercely  at  the  apparition,  and  then,  half 
unconsciously,  turned  for  the  samurai's  only  safe- 
guard, his  sword,  and  drew  it  from  its  sheath.  The 
sword  is  regarded  as  sacred  by  the  Japanese  knight 
and  was  supposed  to  possess  the  occult  power  assigned 
to  the  sign  of  the  cross  in  mediaeval  Europe — that  of 
exorcising  evil. 

The  spirit  laughed  superciliously  when  she  saw  his 
action. 

"  No  motive  but  the  kindest  of  intentions  brought 
me  here  to  proffer  you  my  assistance  in  your  trouble, 
84 


He  glared  fiercely  at  the  apparition,  and  then,  half  unconsciously,  turned 
for  the  samurai's  only  safeguard,  his  sword 


fcl 


s  #  ■< 


.    . 


«.    I    I  i.  t  I 


The  Spirit  of  the  Lantern 

but  without  the  least  appreciation  of  my  goodwill 
you  show  this  enmity  towards  me.  However,  your 
wife's  life  shall  pay  the  penalty,"  and  with  these 
malicious  words  the  phantom  disappeared. 

From  that  hour  the  unhappy  woman's  sufferings 
increased,  and  to  the  distress  of  all  about  her,  she 
seemed  about  to  draw  her  last  breath. 

Her  husband  was  beside  himself  with  grief.  He 
realized  at  once  what  a  false  move  he  had  made  in 
driving  away  the  friendly  spirit  in  such  an  uncouth 
and  hostile  manner,  and,  now  thoroughly  alarmed  at 
his  wife's  desperate  plight,  he  was  willing  to  comply 
with  any  demand,  however  strange.  He  thereupon 
prostrated  himself  before  the  family  shrine  and  ad- 
dressed fervent  prayers  to  the  Spirit  of  the  Lantern, 
humbly  imploring  her  pardon  for  his  thoughtless  and 
discourteous  behaviour. 

From  that  very  hour  the  invalid  began  to  mend, 
and  steadily  improving  day  by  day,  her  normal  health 
was  soon  entirely  regained,  until  it  seemed  to  her  as 
though  her  long  and  strange  illness  had  been  but  an 
evil  dream. 

One  evening  after  her  recovery,  when  the  husband 
and  wife  were  sitting  together  and  speaking  joyfully 
of  her  unexpected  and  almost  miraculous  restoration 
to  health,  the  lantern  flared  up  as  before  and  in  the 
column  of  brilliant  light  the  form  of  the  spirit  again 
appeared. 

"  Notwithstanding  your  unkind  reception  of  me 
the  last  time  I  came,  I  have  driven  out  the  devil  and 

85 


The  Spirit  of  the  Lantern 

saved  your  wife's  life.  In  return  for  this  service  I 
have  come  to  ask  a  favour  of  you,  Tomosaburo  San," 
said  the  spirit.  "  I  have  a  daughter  who  is  now  of 
a  marriageable  age.  The  reason  of  my  visit  is  to 
request  you  to  find  a  suitable  husband  for  her." 

"  But  I  am  a  human  being,"  remonstrated  the  per- 
plexed man,  "  and  you  are  a  spirit !  We  belong  to 
different  worlds,  and  a  wide  and  impassable  gulf  separ- 
ates us.  How  would  it  be  possible  for  me  to  do  as 
you  wish  ?  " 

"  It  is  an  easier  matter  than  you  imagine,"  replied 
the  spirit.  "  All  you  have  to  do  is  to  take  some  blocks 
of  kiri-wood  [Paulozvnia  Imperialis]  and  to  carve  out 
from  them  several  little  figures  of  men  ;  when  they 
are  finished  I  will  bestow  upon  one  of  them  the  hand 
of  my  daughter." 

"  If  that  is  all,  then  it  is  not  so  difficult  as  I  thought, 
and  I  will  undertake  to  do  as  you  wish,"  assented 
Tomosaburo,  and  no  sooner  had  the  spirit  vanished 
than  he  opened  his  tool  box  and  set  to  work  upon  the 
appointed  task  with  such  alacrity  that  in  a  few  days 
he  had  fashioned  out  in  miniature  several  very  credit- 
able effigies  of  the  desired  bridegroom,  and  when  the 
wooden  dolls  were  completed  he  laid  them  out  in  a 
row  upon  his  desk. 

The  next  morning,  on  awaking,  he  lost  no  time  in 
ascertaining  what  had  befallen  the  quaint  little  figures, 
but  apparently  they  had  found  favour  with  the  spirit, 
for  all  had  disappeared  during  the  night.  He  now 
hoped  that  the  strange  and  supernatural  visitant 
86 


The  Spirit  of  the  Lantern 


would  trouble  them  no  more,  but  the  next  night  she 
again  appeared  : 

"Owing  to  your  kind  assistance  my  daughter's 
future  is  settled.  As  a  mark  of  our  gratitude  for  the 
trouble  you  have  taken,  we  earnestly  desire  the 
presence  of  both  yourself  and  your  wife  at  the  marriage 
feast.  When  the  time  arrives  promise  to  come  with- 
out fail." 

By  this  time  Tomosaburo  was  thoroughly  wearied 
of  these  ghostly  visitations  and  considered  it  highly 
obnoxious  to  be  in  league  with  such  weird  and  in- 
tangible beings,  yet  fully  aware  of  their  powers  of 
working  evil,  he  dared  not  offend  them.  He  racked 
his  brains  for  some  way  of  escape  from  this  uncanny 
invitation,  but  before  he  could  frame  any  reply  suit- 
able to  the  emergency,  and  while  he  was  hesitating, 

the  spirit  vanished. 

Long  did  the  perplexed  man  ponder  over  the  strange 
situation,  but  the  more  he  thought  the  more  em- 
barrassed he  became  :  and  there  seemed  no  solution 
of  his  dilemma. 

The  next  night  the  spirit  again  returned. 

"  As  I  had  the  honour  to  inform  you,  we  have  pre- 
pared an  entertainment  at  which  your  presence  is 
desired.  All  is  now  in  readiness.  The  wedding  cere- 
mony has  taken  place  and  the  assembled  company 
await  your  arrival  with  impatience.  Kindly  follow 
me  at  once  !  "  and  the  wraith  made  imperious  gestures 
to  Tomosaburo  and  his  wife  to  accompany  her.  With 
a  sudden  movement  she  darted  from  the  lantern  flame 


87 


The  Spirit  of  the  Lantern 

and  glided  out  of  the  room,  now  and  again  looking 
back  with  furtive  glances  to  see  that  they  were  surely- 
following — and  thus  they  passed,  the  spirit  guiding 
them,  along  the  passage  to  the  outer  porch. 

The  idea  of  accepting  the  spirit's  hospitality  was 
highly  repugnant  to  the  astonished  couple,  but  re- 
membering the  dire  consequences  of  his  first  refusal 
to  comply  with  the  ghostly  visitor's  request,  Tomo- 
saburo  thought  it  wiser  to  simulate  acquiescence. 
He  was  well  aware  that  in  some  strange  and  incom- 
prehensible manner  his  wife  owed  her  sudden  re- 
covery to  the  spirit's  agency,  and  for  this  boon  he  felt 
it  would  be  both  unseemly  and  ungrateful — and 
possibly  dangerous — to  refuse.  In  great  embarrass- 
ment, and  at  a  loss  for  any  plausible  excuse,  he  felt 
half  dazed,  and  as  though  all  capacity  for  voluntary 
action  was  deserting  him. 

What  was  Tomosaburo's  surprise  on  reaching  the 
entrance  to  find  stationed  there  a  procession,  like  the 
train  of  some  great  personage,  awaiting  him.  On  their 
appearance  the  liveried  bearers  hastened  to  bring 
forward  two  magnificent  palanquins  of  lacquer  and 
gold,  and  at  the  same  moment  a  tall  man  garbed  in 
ceremonial  robes  advanced  and  with  a  deep  obeisance 
requested  them  not  to  hesitate,  saying  : 

"  Honoured  sir,  these  kago  *  are  for  your  august 
conveyance — deign  to  enter  so  that  we  may  proceed 
to  your  destination." 

At  the  same  time  the  members  of  the  procession 

*  Kago  =  palanquins. 

88 


The  Spirit  of  the  Lantern 

and  the  bearers  bowed  low,  and  in  curious  high- 
pitched  voices  all  repeated  the  invitation  in  a  chorus  : 

"  Please  deign  to  enter  the  kago  /  " 

Both  Tomosaburo  and  his  wife  were  not  only  amazed 
at  the  splendour  of  the  escort  which  had  been  provided 
for  them,  but  they  realized  that  what  was  happening 
to  them  was  most  mysterious,  and  might  have  unex- 
pected consequences.  However,  it  was  too  late  to 
draw  back  now,  and  all  they  could  do  was  to  fall  in 
with  the  arrangement  with  as  bold  a  front  as  they 
could  muster.  They  both  stepped  valiantly  into  the 
elaborately  decorated  kago  ;  thereupon  the  attendants 
surrounded  the  palanquins,  the  bearers  raised  the 
shafts  shoulder  high,  and  the  procession  formed  in 
line  and  set  out  on  its  ghostly  expedition. 

The  night  was  still  and  very  dark.  Thick  masses 
of  sable  cloud  obscured  the  heavens,  with  no  friendly 
gleams  of  moon  or  stars  to  illumine  their  unknown 
path,  and  peering  through  the  bamboo  blinds  nothing 
met  Tomosaburo's  anxious  gaze  but  the  impenetrable 
gloom  of  the  inky  sky. 

Seated  in  the  palanquins  the  adventurous  couple 
were  undergoing  a  strange  experience.  To  their 
mystified  senses  it  did  not  seem  as  if  the  kago  was  being 
borne  along  over  the  ground  in  the  ordinary  manner, 
but  the  sensation  was  as  though  they  were  being 
swiftly  impelled  by  some  mysterious  unseen  force, 
which  caused  them  to  skim  through  the  air  like  the 
flight  of  birds.  After  some  time  had  elapsed  the 
sombre  blackness  of  the  night  somewhat  lifted,  and 

89 


The  Spirit  of  the  Lantern 

they  were  dimly  able  to  discern  the  curved  outlines 
of  a  large  mansion  which  they  were  now  approaching, 
and  which  appeared  to  be  situated  in  a  spacious  and 
thickly  wooded  park. 

The  bearers  entered  the  large  roofed  gate  and, 
crossing  an  intervening  space  of  garden,  carefully 
lowered  their  burdens  before  the  main  entrance  of 
the  house,  where  a  body  of  servants  and  retainers 
were  already  waiting  to  welcome  the  expected  guests 
with  assiduous  attentions.  Tomosaburo  and  his  wife 
alighted  from  their  conveyances  and  were  ushered 
into  a  reception  room  of  great  size  and  splendour, 
where,  as  soon  as  they  were  seated  in  the  place  of 
honour  near  the  alcove,  refreshments  were  served  by 
a  bevy  of  fair  waiting-maids  in  ceremonial  costumes. 
As  soon  as  they  were  rested  from  the  fatigues  of  their 
journey  an  usher  appeared  and  bowing  profoundly 
to  the  bewildered  new-comers  announced  that  the 
marriage  feast  was  about  to  be  celebrated  and  their 
presence  was  requested  without  delay. 

Following  this  guide  they  proceeded  through  the 
various  ante-rooms  and  along  the  corridors.  The 
whole  interior  of  the  mansion,  the  sumptuousness  of 
its  appointments  and  the  delicate  beauty  of  its  finish- 
ings, were  such  as  to  fill  their  hearts  with  wonder 
and  admiration. 

The  floors  of  the  passages  shone  like  mirrors,  so  fine 
was  the  quality  of  the  satiny  woods,  and  the  richly 
inlaid  ceilings  showed  that  no  expense  or  trouble  had 
been  spared  in  the  selection  of  all  that  was  ancient  and 
90 


The  Spirit  of  the  Lantern 

rare,  both  in  materials  and  workmanship.  Certain 
of  the  pillars  were  formed  by  the  trunks  of  petrified 
trees,  brought  from  great  distances,  and  on  every 
side  perfect  taste  and  limitless  wealth  were  apparent 
in  every  detail  of  the  scheme  of  decoration. 

More  and  more  deeply  impressed  with  his  surround- 
ings, Tomosaburo  obediently  followed  in  the  wake  of 
the  ushers.  As  they  neared  the  stately  guest-chamber 
an  eerie  and  numbing  sensation  seemed  to  creep 
through  his  veins. 

Observing  more  closely  the  surrounding  figures  that 
flitted  to  and  fro,  with  a  shock  of  horror  he  suddenly 
became  aware  that  their  faces  were  well  known  to 
him  and  of  many  in  that  shadowy  throng  he  recog- 
nized the  features  and  forms  of  friends  and  relatives 
long  since  dead.  Along  the  corridors  leading  to  the 
principal  hall  numerous  attendants  were  gathered  : 
all  their  features  were  familiar  to  Tomosaburo,  but 
none  of  them  betrayed  the  slightest  sign  of  recognition. 
Gradually  his  dazed  brain  began  to  understand  that  he 
was  visiting  in  the  underworld,  that  everything  about 
him  was  unreal — in  fact,  a  dream  of  the  past — and 
he  feebly  wondered  of  what  hallucination  he  could  be 
the  victim  to  be  thus  abruptly  bidden  to  such  an  illusory 
carnival,  where  all  the  wedding  guests  seemed  to  be 
denizens  of  the  Meido,  that  dusky  kingdom  of  de- 
parted spirits  !  But  no  time  was  left  him  for  con- 
jecture, for  on  reaching  the  ante-room  they  were 
immediately  ushered  into  a  magnificent  hall  where 
all  preparations  for  the  feast  had  been  set  out,  and 

91 


The  Spirit  of  the  Lantern 

where  the  Elysian  Strand  *  and  the  symbols  of  mar- 
riage were  all  duly  arranged  according  to  time- 
honoured  custom. 

Here  the  bridegroom  and  his  bride  were  seated  in 
state,  both  attired  in  elegant  robes  as  befitting  the 
occasion.  Tomosaburo,  who  had  acted  such  a  strange 
and  important  part  in  providing  the  farcical  groom 
for  this  unheard-of  marriage,  gazed  searchingly  at 
the  newly  wedded  husband,  whose  mien  was  quite 
dignified  and  imposing,  and  whose  thick  dark  locks 
were  crowned  with  a  nobleman's  coronet.  He  won- 
dered what  part  the  wooden  figures  he  had  carved 
according  to  the  spirit's  behest  had  taken  in  the 
composition  of  the  bridegroom  he  now  saw  before 
him.  Strangely,  indeed,  his  features  bore  a  striking 
resemblance  to  the  little  puppets  that  Tomosaburo 
had  fashioned  from  the  &m-wood  some  days 
before. 

The  nuptial  couple  were  receiving  the  congratu- 
lations of  the  assembled  guests,  and  no  sooner  had 
Tomosaburo  and  his  wife  entered  the  room  than  the 
wedding  party  all  came  forward  in  a  body  to  greet 
them  and  to  offer  thanks  for  their  condescension  in 
gracing  that  happy  occasion  with  their  presence. 
They  were   ceremoniously  conducted   to   seats   in   a 

*  Horai  Dai,  the  Eastern  fairyland,  where  death  and 
sickness  never  come,  and  where  the  fabulous  old  couple  of 
Takasayo,  paragons  of  conjugal  felicity  and  constancy,  live  for 
ever  in  the  shade  of  the  evergreen  pines,  while  storks  and  green- 
tailed  tortoises,  emblems  of  prosperity  and  ten  thousand  years  of 
life,  keep  them  company. 

92 


The  Spirit  of  the  Lantern 

place  of  honour,  and  invited  with  great  cordiality 
to  participate  in  the  evening's  entertainment. 

Servants  then  entered  bearing  all  sorts  of  tempting 
dainties  piled  on  lacquer  trays  in  the  form  of  large 
shells  ;  the  feast  was  spread  before  the  whole  assem- 
blage ;  wine  flowed  in  abundance,  and  by  degrees 
conversation,  laughter,  and  merriment  became  uni- 
versal and  the  banquet-hall  echoed  with  the  carousal 
of  the  ghostly  throng. 

Under  the  influence  of  the  good  cheer  Tomosaburo's 
apprehension  and  alarm  of  his  weird  environment 
gradually  wore  off,  he  partook  freely  of  the  refresh- 
ments, and  associated  himself  more  and  more  with 
the  gaiety  and  joviality  of  the  evening's  revel. 


The  night  wore  on  and  when  the  hour  of  midnight 
struck  the  banquet  was  at  its  height. 

In  the  mirth  and  glamour  of  that  strange  marriage 
feast  Tomosaburo  had  lost  all  track  of  time,  when 
suddenly  the  clear  sound  of  a  cock's  crow  penetrated 
his  clouded  brain  and,  looking  up,  the  transparency 
of  the  shoji  *  of  the  room  began  to  slowly  whiten  in 
the  grey  of  dawn.  Like  a  flash  of  lightning  Tomosa- 
buro and  his  wife  found  themselves  transported  back, 
safe  and  sound,  into  their  own  room. 

On  reflection  he  found  his  better  nature  more  and 

*  Shoji,  the  sliding  screens  which  takes  the  place  of  doors 
and  windows  in  a  Japanese  house — the  framework  is  of  a  fine 
lattice-work  of  wood,  covered  with  white  paper  sufficiently 
transparent  to  let  in  the  light. 

93 


The  Spirit  of  the  Lantern 

more  troubled  by  such  an  uncanny  experience,  and  he 
spent  much  time  pondering  over  the  matter,  which 
seemed  to  require  such  delicate  handling.  He  deter- 
mined that  at  all  costs  communications  must  be 
broken  off  with  the  importunate  spirit. 

A  few  days  passed  and  Tomosaburo  began  to  cherish 
the  hope  that  he  had  seen  the  last  of  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lantern,  but  his  congratulations  on  escaping  her  un- 
welcome attentions  proved  premature.  That  very 
night,  no  sooner  had  he  laid  himself  down  to  rest, 
than  lo  !  and  behold,  the  lantern  shot  up  in  the 
familiar  shaft  of  light,  and  there  in  the  lurid  glow 
appeared  the  spirit,  looking  more  than  ever  bent  on 
mischief.  Tomosaburo  lost  all  patience.  Glaring 
savagely  at  the  unwelcome  visitant  he  seized  his 
wooden  pillow  *  and,  determining  to  rid  himself  of  her 
persecutions  once  and  for  all,  he  exerted  his  whole 
strength  and  hurled  it  straight  at  the  intruder.  His 
aim  was  true,  and  the  missile  struck  the  goblin 
squarely  on  the  forehead,  overturning  the  lantern 
and  plunging  the  room  into  black  darkness. 
"  Wa,  Wa  !  "  wailed  the  spirit  in  a  thin  haunting 
cry,  that  gradually  grew  fainter  and  fainter  till  she 
finally  disappeared  like  a  luminous  trail  of  vanishing 
blue  smoke. 

From  that  very  hour  Tomosaburo's  wife  was  again 
stricken  with  her  former  malady,  and  no  remedies 

*  The  old  Japanese  pillow  was  a  wooden  stand,  on  the  top 
of  which  was  a  groove ;  in  this  was  placed  a  small  roll  of  cotton- 
wool covered  with  silk  or  cv&pe,  etc. 

94 


The  Spirit  of  the  Lantern 

being  of  any  avail,  within  two  days  it  took  a  turn 
for  the  worse  and  she  died. 

The  sorrow-stricken  husband  bitterly  regretted  his 
impetuous  action  in  giving  way  to  that  fatal  fit  of 
anger  and,  moreover,  in  appearing  so  forgetful  of  the 
past  favour  he  had  received  from  the  spirit.  He 
therefore  prayed  earnestly  to  the  offended  apparition, 
apologizing  with  humble  contrition  for  his  cruelty 
and  ingratitude. 

But  the  Spirit  of  the  Lantern  had  been  too  deeply 
outraged  to  return,  and  Tomosaburo's  repentance  for 
his  rash  impulse  proved  all  in  vain. 

These  melancholy  events  caused  the  unhappy 
husband  to  take  a  strong  aversion  to  the  house,  which 
he  felt  sure  must  be  haunted,  and  he  decided  to  leave 
that  neighbourhood  with  as  little  delay  as  possible. 

As  soon  as  a  suitable  dwelling  was  found  and  the 
details  of  his  migration  arranged,  the  carriers  were 
summoned  to  transport  his  household  goods  to  the 
new  abode,  but  to  the  alarm  and  consternation  of 
every  one,  when  the  servants  attempted  to  move  the 
furniture,  the  whole  contents  of  the  house  by  some 
unseen  power  adhered  fast  to  the  floor,  and  no  human 
power  was  available  to  dislodge  them. 

Then  Tomosaburo's  little  son  fell  ill  and  died.  Such 
was  the  revenge  of  the  Spirit  of  the  Lantern. 


95 


The  Reincarnation  of  Tama 


"  Felt   within  themselves  the  sacred 
passion  of  the  second  life. 
Hope  the  best,  but  hold  the  Present 

fatal  daughter  of  the  Past. 
Love  will  conquer  at  the  last." 

Tennyson 


The  Reincarnation  of  Tama 


"  Felt   within  themselves  the  sacred 
passion  of  the  second  life. 
Hope  the  best,  but  hold  the  Present 

fatal  daughter  of  the  Past. 
Love  will  conquer  at  the  last." 

Tennyson 


N.B. — It  is  a  common  Japanese  belief  that  the  soul  may  be 
re-born  more  than  once  into  this  world.  A  Buddhist  proverb 
says  : 

Oya-ko,  is-se 
Fufu  wa,  nisei 
Shu  ju  wa,  same. 

Parent  and  child  for  one  life  ; 
Husband  and  wife  for  two  lives  ; 
Master  and  servant  for  three  lives. 

Under  the  strong  provocation  of  the  passions  of  love,  loyalty 
and  patriotism,  the  soul  may  be  reincarnated  as  many  as 
seven  times.  The  hero  Hirose,  before  Port  Arthur  in  1904, 
wrote  a  poem  during  the  last  moments  of  his  life  saying  that 
he  would  return  seven  times  to  work  for  his  country. 


The  Reincarnation  of  Tama 


"ANY  years  ago  in  Yedo,*  in  the  district 
of  Fukagawa,  there  lived  a  rich  timber 
merchant.  He  and  his  wife  dwelt  together 
in  perfect  accord,  but  though  their  busi- 
ness prospered  and  their  wealth  increased  as  the  years 
went  by,  they  were  a  disappointed  couple,  for  by  the 
time  they  had  reached  middle  age  they  were  still 
unblessed  with  children.  This  was  a  great  grief  to 
them,  for  the  one  desire  of  their  lives  was  to  have  a 
child. 

The  merchant  at  last  determined  to  make  a  pilgrim- 
age to  several  temples  in  company  with  his  wife, 
and  to  supplicate  the  gods  for  the  long  yearned-for 
joy  of  offspring.  When  the  arduous  tour  was  over 
they  both  went  to  a  resort  in  the  hills  noted  for  its 
mineral  springs,  the  woman  hoping  earnestly  that 
the  medicinal  waters  would  improve  her  health  and 
bring  about  the  desired  result. 

A  year  passed  and  the  merchant's  wife  at  last  gave 
birth  to  a  daughter.  Both  parents  rejoiced  that  the 
Gods  had  answered  their  prayers.  They  reared  the 
child  with  great  care,  likening  her  to  a  precious  gem 
held  tenderly  in  both  hands,  and  they  named  her 
Tama,  the  Jewel. 

As  an  infant  Tama  gave  promise  of  great  beauty, 
and  when  she  grew  into  girlhood  she  more  than 
*  The  old  name  for  Tokyo. 

99 


The  Reincarnation  of  Tama 

fulfilled  that  promise.  Their  friends  all  declared  that 
they  had  never  seen  such  loveliness,  and  people  com- 
pared her  to  a  morning-glory,  besprinkled  with  dew 
and  glowing  with  the  freshness  of  a  summer  dawn. 

She  had  a  tiny  mole  on  the  side  of  her  snowy  neck. 
This  was  her  sole  and  distinguishing  blemish. 

Tama,  the  Jewel,  proved  a  gifted  child.  She  ac- 
quired reading  and  the  writing  of  hieroglyphics  with 
remarkable  facility,  and  in  all  her  studies  was  in  ad- 
vance of  girls  of  her  own  age.  She  danced  with  grace, 
and  sang  and  played  the  koto  enchantingly,  and  she 
was  also  accomplished  in  the  arts  of  flower-arrange- 
ment and  the  tea-ceremony. 

When  she  reached  the  age  of  sixteen  her  parents 
thought  it  was  time  to  seek  a  suitable  bridegroom  for 
her.  Very  early  marriages  were  the  custom  of  the 
day,  and  besides  that  her  parents  wished  to  see  her 
happily  established  in  life  before  they  grew  older. 
As  she  was  the  only  child,  her  husband  would  become 
the  adopted  son,  and  thus  the  succession  to  the  family 
would  be  secured.  However,  it  proved  exceedingly 
difficult  to  find  anyone  who  would  meet  all  their 
requirements. 

Now  it  happened  that  near-by  in  a  small  house  there 
lived  a  man  by  the  name  of  Hayashi.  He  was  a 
provincial  samurai,  but  for  some  reason  or  other  had 
left  his  Daimio's  domain  and  settled  in  Yedo.  His 
wife  was  long  since  dead,  but  he  had  an  only  son  whom 
he  educated  in  the  refinements  of  the  military  class. 
The  family  was  a  poor  one,  for  all  samurai  were  trained 
ioo 


The  Reincarnation  of  Tama 

to  hold  poverty  in  high  esteem  and  to  despise  trade 
and  money-making. 

Both  father  and  son  led  simple  lives  and  eked  out 
their  small  patrimony  by  giving  lessons  in  the  reading 
of  the  classics  and  in  calligraphy,  and  by  telling  for- 
tunes according  to  the  Confucian  system  of  divination. 
Both  were  respected  by  all  who  knew  them  for  their 
learning  and  upright  lives. 

At  the  time  this  story  opens  the  elder  Hayashi  had 
just  died  and  the  son,  though  only  nineteen  years  of 
age,  carried  on  his  father's  work. 

The  young  man  was  strikingly  handsome.  Of  the 
aristocratic  type,  with  long  dark  eyes,  aquiline  features 
and  a  pale,  cream-like  complexion,  he  attracted  notice 
wheresoever  he  went,  and  though  shabbily  dressed 
he  always  bore  himself  with  great  dignity.  He  was 
a  musician  and  played  the  flute  with  unusual  skill, 
and  the  game  of  go  *  was  his  favourite  pastime,  a  taste 
which  made  him  very  popular  with  older  men. 

He  often  passed  the  rich  merchant's  house  and 
Tama,  the  Jewel,  noticed  the  young  man  coming  and 
going  with  his  flute.  Questioning  her  nurse,  she  learned 
all  there  was  to  know  about  his  history,  his  poverty, 
his  scholarly  attainments,  his  skill  as  a  musician  and 
the  recent  sorrow  he  had  sustained  in  the  death  of  his 
father. 

Besides  being  attracted  by  his  good  looks,  the  beauti- 
ful Tama's  heart  went  out  in  sympathy  to  the  young 

*  Go,  a  game  played  with  black  and  white  counters — more 
complicated  than  chess. 

IOI 


The  Reincarnation  of  Tama 


man  in  his  misfortune  and  loneliness,  and  she  asked 
her  mother  to  invite  him  to  the  house  as  her  music- 
master,  so  that  they  might  play  duets  together — he 
performing  on  the  flute  to  her  accompaniment  on 
the  koto. 

The  mother  consented,  thinking  the  plan  an  ex- 
cellent one,  and  the  young  samurai  became  a  frequent 
visitor  in  the  merchant's  house.  Tama's  father  was 
delighted  when  Hayashi  proved  to  be  an  expert  at 
go,  and  often  asked  him  to  come  and  spend  the  even- 
ing. As  soon  as  dinner  was  over  the  merchant  would 
order  the  chequer-board  to  be  brought  and  Hayashi 
was  then  invited  to  try  his  hand  at  a  game. 

In  this  way  the  intimacy  deepened  till  by  degrees 
the  young  man  was  treated  like  a  trusted  member  of 
the  family. 

The  young  master  and  pupil  thus  meeting  day  by 
day,  presently  fell  in  love,  for  heart  calls  to  heart 
when  both  are  young  and  handsome  and  the  bond 
of  similar  tastes  cements  the  friendship.  Choosing 
themes  and  songs  expressive  of  love  they  communi- 
cated their  sentiments  to  one  another  through  the 
romantic  medium  of  music,  and  the  two  instruments 
blended  in  perfect  harmony,  the  koto's  accompani- 
ment giving  an  ardent  response  to  the  plaintive  melody 
of  the  young  man's  flute,  which  wailed  forth  the 
hopeless  passion  consuming  his  soul  for  the  lovely 
maiden. 

Tama's  parents  were  totally  unaware  of  all  that 
was  happening,  but  her  nurse  soon  guessed  the  secret 
102 


Tama's  father  was  delighted  when  Hayashi  proved  to  be  an  expert  at  go, 
and  often  asked  him  to  come  and  spend  the  evening 


■         ll 


<    (     «    L 

*  BO  *  4 


The  Reincarnation  of  Tama 

of  the  young  couple.  The  woman,  who  loved  her 
charge  faithfully  and  devotedly,  could  not  bear  to 
see  her  unhappy,  and  foolishly  helped  the  lovers  to 
meet  each  other  in  secret.  With  these  unexpected 
opportunities  they  pledged  themselves  to  each  other 
for  all  their  lives  to  come,  and  tried  to  think  of  some 
way  by  which  they  could  obtain  the  old  people's 
consent  to  their  marriage.  But  Hayashi  guessed  that 
the  merchant  was  ambitious  for  his  daughter,  and 
knew  that  it  was  improbable  that  he  would  accept 
a  son-in-law  as  poor  and  obscure  as  himself.  So  he 
postponed  asking  for  her  hand  until  it  was  too  late. 

At  this  time  a  rich  man  whom  Tama's  parents 
deemed  a  suitable  match  for  their  daughter  presented 
his  proposals,  and  Tama  was  suddenly  told  that  the) 
approved  of  the  marriage  and  that  she  must  prepare 
for  the  bridal. 

Tama  was  overwhelmed  with  despair.  That  day 
Hayashi  had  promised  to  come  and  play  his  favourite 
game  with  her  father.  The  nurse  contrived  that  the 
lovers  should  meet  first,  and  then  Tama  told  Hayashi 
of  the  alliance  which  had  been  arranged.  Weeping, 
she  insisted  that  an  elopement  was  the  only  solution 
to  their  difficulties.  He  consented  to  escape  to  some 
distant  place  with  her  that  very  night.  Gathering  her 
in  his  arms  he  tried  to  still  her  sobbing,  and  Tama 
clung  to  him,  declaring  that  she  would  die  rather  than 
be  separated  from  him. 

They  were  thus  surprised  by  her  mother,  and  their 
secret  could  no  longer  be  concealed.     Tama  was  taken 

103 


The  Reincarnation  of  Tama 

from  him  gently  but  firmly  and  shut  up  like  a  prisoner 
in  one  room.  The  vigilance  of  the  parents  being  in 
this  manner  rudely  awakened,  the  mother  never 
allowed  the  girl  out  of  her  sight,  and  Hayashi  was 
peremptorily  forbidden  the  house. 

The  young  man,  fearing  the  wrath  of  her  parents, 
went  to  live  in  another  part  of  the  city,  telling  no  one 
of  his  whereabouts. 

Tama  was  inconsolable.  She  pined  for  her  lover 
and  soon  fell  ill.  Her  elaborate  trousseau  and  the 
outfit  for  the  bridal  household  was  complete  but  the 
wedding  ceremony  had  to  be  postponed. 

Both  parents  became  very  anxious  for,  as  the  days 
went  by,  instead  of  getting  better  their  daughter 
visibly  wasted  away  and  sometimes  could  not  leave 
her  bed,  so  weak  did  she  become.  To  distract  her 
mind  they  took  her  to  places  of  amusement  like  the 
theatre,  or  to  gardens  noted  for  the  blossoming  of 
trees  and  flowers.  Then  finally  they  carried  her  to 
places  like  Hakone  and  Atami,  hoping  that  the  mineral 
baths  and  the  change  of  air  and  scene  would  cure  her. 
But  it  was  all  to  no  purpose,  Tama  grew  worse  in  spite 
of  the  devotion  lavished  upon  her.  Seriously  alarmed, 
the  parents  called  in  a  doctor.  He  declared  Tama's 
malady  to  be  love-sickness,  and  said  that  unless  she 
were  united  to  the  man  she  pined  for  that  she  might 
die. 

Her  mother  now  begged  the  father  to  allow  the 
marriage  with  Hayashi  to  take  place.  Though  he 
was  not  the  man  of  their  choice  in  worldly  position, 
104 


The  Reincarnation  of  Tama 

yet  if  their  daughter  loved  him,  it  were  better  that 
she  should  marry  him  than  that  she  should  die. 

But  now  arose  a  difficulty  of  which  they  had  not 
dreamed.  Hayashi  had  moved  away  no  one  knew 
whither,  and  all  their  frantic  efforts  to  trace  him  were 
fruitless. 

A  year  passed  slowly  by.  When  Tama  was  told 
that  her  parents  had  consented  to  her  marrying  her 
beloved,  she  brightened  up  with  the  hope  of  seeing 
him  again,  and  appeared  to  regain  her  health  for  a 
short  time.  But  as  month  followed  month  and  he 
never  came,  the  waiting  and  the  sickening  disappoint- 
ment proved  too  much  for  the  already  weakened 
frame  of  the  young  girl.  She  drooped  and  died  just 
as  she  had  attained  her  seventeenth  birthday. 

It  was  springtime  when  the  sad  event  occurred. 
Hayashi  had  never  forgotten  the  beautiful  girl  nor 
the  vows  they  had  mutually  plighted,  and  he  swore 
never  to  accept  another  woman  as  his  wife.  He  longed 
for  news  of  Tama,  but  he  realized  how  imprudent  and 
blameable  his  conduct  had  been  in  entering  into  a 
secret  love-affair  with  a  young  girl,  and  he  feared 
that  her  father  might  kill  him  were  he  to  return  even 
for  a  single  day  to  the  vicinity.  Weakly  he  told  him- 
self that  she  had  in  all  probability  forgotten  him  by 
this  time  and  was  surely  married  to  the  man  of  her 
parents'  choice. 

One  fine  morning  he  went  fishing  on  the  Sumida 
river.  When  evening  began  to  fall  he  turned  home- 
wards.    As  he  sauntered  along  the  river  embankment, 

105 


The  Reincarnation  of  Tama 

the  water  lapping  softly  and  dreamily  at  his  feet,  he 
was  suddenly  startled  to  see  a  girlish  form  coming 
towards  him  in  the  wavering  shadows  of  declining 
day.  Light  as  a  summer  zephyr  she  glided  from  under 
the  arches  of  the  blossom  laden  cherry-trees  with 
the  sunset  flaming  behind  her.  He  remembered  long 
afterward  that  she  had  seemed  rather  to  float  over 
the  ground  than  to  walk. 

To  his  utter  astonishment  he  at  once  recognized 
Tama,  and  his  heart  leapt  with  joy  at  sight  of  her. 
After  the  first  salutations  he  looked  at  her  closely 
and  congratulated  her  on  her  good  health  and  ever- 
increasing  beauty.  He  then  asked  her  to  tell  him 
all  that  had  happened  since  they  were  cruelly 
parted. 

In  the  saddest  of  tremulous  voices  Jewel  an- 
swered :  "  After  you  left  the  house  my  old  and 
devoted  nurse  was  dismissed  for  having  helped  us  to 
meet  in  secret.  From  that  day  to  this  I  have  never 
seen  her,  but  she  sent  me  word  that  she  had  returned 
to  her  old  home." 

"  Then  you  are  not  married  yet  ?  "  asked  Hayashi, 
his  heart  beating  wildly  with  hope  as  he  interrupted 
her. 

"  Oh,  no,"  replied  Tama,  looking  at  him  strangely, 
"  do  you  think  that  I  could  ever  forget  you  ?  You 
are  my  betrothed  forever,  even  after  death.  Do  you 
not  know  that  the  dread  of  that  marriage  being  forced 
upon  me  and  my  pining  for  you  made  me  ill  for  a  long 
time.  Sympathizing  with  my  unhappiness,  my  parents 
1 06 


He  was  suddenly  startled  to  see  a  girlish  form  coming  towards 
him  in  the  wavering  shadows 


I    ,  ,   I 

i  <  i  ' 

'  <  t 

C  C  C   i 

.   .   . 
I  ■  I 


.... 

C-  6  6  I 


The  Reincarnation  of  Tama 

broke  off  my  engagement  and  then  tried  to  find  you. 
But  you  had  entirely  disappeared  leaving  no  trace 
behind.  To-day  I  started  out,  resolved  to  find  you 
with  the  help  of  my  old  nurse.  I  am  on  my  way  to 
her  now.  How  happy  I  am  to  find  you  thus.  Will 
you  not  take  me  to  your  house  and  show  me  where 
you  live  ?  " 

She  then  turned  and  walked  with  him  as  he  led 
the  way  to  their  humble  dwelling.  Now  that  her 
parents  had  consented  to  her  marrying  him  they  need 
not  wait  long,  he  told  himself.  How  fortunate  he  was 
that  he  should  have  gained  such  faithful  and  un- 
changing love  as  that  of  his  beautiful  Tama. 

As  they  went  along  exchanging  blissful  confidences 
as  to  their  undying  love  for  one  another,  he  told  her 
of  his  oath  never  to  wed  another  woman  for  her  dear 
sake. 

They  entered  the  house  together,  the  nearness  of 
her  sweet  presence  thrilling  him  to  his  finger-tips. 
Impatiently  he  knelt  to  light  the  lamp,  placed  ready 
on  his  low  writing  table,  then  with  joy  inexpressible 
at  the  anticipation  of  all  that  the  future  held  for  them, 
he  turned  to  speak  to  her. 

But  to  his  utter  bewilderment  Tama  was  gone. 
He  searched  the  house  and  garden,  and  with  a  lantern 
went  and  peered  down  the  road,  but  she  was  nowhere 
to  be  seen.  She  had  vanished  as  suddenly  and 
mysteriously  as  she  had  appeared. 

Hayashi  thought  the  incident  more  than  strange  ; 
it  was  eerie  in  the  extreme.     Returning  alone  to  his 

107 


The  Reincarnation  of  Tama 

empty  room,  he  shivered  as  a  chill  of  foreboding 
seemed  to  penetrate  his  whole  being,  withering  as 
with  an  icy  breath  the  newly  awakened  impulses  of 
hope  and  longing.  A  thousand  recollections  of  his 
love  crowded  upon  him,  and  kept  him  tossing  uneasily 
upon  his  pillow  all  through  the  night.  With  the  first 
break  of  dawn  he  was  no  longer  able  to  control  his 
feverish  anxiety  for  news  of  her,  and  rising  hurriedly, 
he  at  once  set  out  for  Fukagawa. 

Eagerly  he  hastened  to  the  house  of  an  old  friend 
to  make  inquiries  regarding  the  merchant's  family 
and  especially  about  Tama.  To  his  dismay  he  learned 
that  she  had  passed  away  but  a  few  days  before,  and 
listened  with  an  aching  heart  to  the  account  of  her 
long  illness.  And  he  knew  that  she  had  died  for  love 
of  him. 

He  returned  to  his  home  stupefied  with  grief  and 
tormented  with  self-reproach. 

"  Oh,  Tama  !  Tama  !  My  love  !  "  he  cried  aloud 
in  his  anguish,  as  he  threw  himself  down  in  his  room 
and  gave  way  to  his  despair.  "  Had  I  but  known  of 
your  illness  I  would  have  come  to  you.  It  was  your 
spirit  that  appeared  to  me  yesterday.  Oh !  come 
to  me  again  !     Tama  !     Tama  !  " 

For  weeks  he  was  ill,  but  when  he  recovered  and 
was  able  to  think  collectedly,  he  could  not  endure  to 
live  longer  in  such  a  world  of  misery.  He  felt  that 
he  was  responsible  for  the  untimely  death  of  the  young 
girl.  To  escape  from  the  insupportable  sorrows  of 
life  he  decided  to  enter  a  Buddhist  monastery, 
108 


The  Reincarnation  of  Tama 

and    joined    the    order    of    itinerant    monks    called 
Komuso* 

Like  the  monks  in  the  middle  ages  in  Europe  the 
Komuso  enjoyed  sanctuary.  They  were  chiefly  samu- 
rai who  wished  to  hide  their  identity.  Sometimes  a 
breach  of  the  law,  such  as  the  killing  of  a  friend, 
obliged  the  samurai  to  cut  the  ties  which  bound  him 
to  his  Daimio  ;  sometimes  a  family  blood-feud  forced 
him  to  spend  his  years  in  tracking  down  his  enemy  ; 
sometimes  it  was  disgust  of  the  world,  sorrow  or 
disappointment,  as  in  the  case  of  Hayashi :  these 
various  reasons  often  caused  men  to  bury  themselves 
out  of  remembrance  in  the  remote  life  of  these  wander- 
ing monks. 

The  Komuso  were  always  treated  with  great  respect, 
they  enjoyed  the  hospitality  of  inns  and  ships,  and  a 
free  pass  unquestioned  across  all  government  barriers. 

They  wore  the  stole  but  not  the  cassock,  and  they 
did  not  shave  their  heads  like  the  priesthood.  They 
were  distinguished  by  their  strange  headgear,  which 
was  a  wicker  basket  worn  upside  down,  reaching  as 
far  as  the  chin  and  completely  hiding  the  face.  The 
rules  of  their  order  forbade  them  to  marry,  to  eat 
meat,  or  to  drink  more  than  three  cups  of  wine,  and 

*  The  sect  was  introduced  from  China  in  the  Kamakura  epoch 
( 1 200-1400),  but  it  never  became  popular  in  the  land  of  its 
adoption.  Under  the  Tokugawa  Government  (1 700-1 850)  the 
Komuso  were  used  as  national  detectives,  but  the  privileges  they 
enjoyed  led  to  the  abuse  of  the  order  by  bad  men,  and  it  was 
abolished  at  the  time  of  the  Restoration.  Later  on  the  edict 
was  rescinded,  and  these  men  in  their  strange  headgear  may  be 
seen  to  this  day  fluting  their  way  about  the  old  city  of  Kyoto. 

109 


The  Reincarnation  of  Tama 

when  on  duty  they  might  not  take  off  their  hats  or 
bow  to  anyone,  even  to  their  parents.  Outside  these 
restrictions,  though  nominally  priests,  their  lives  were 
practically  those  of  laymen,  and  when  not  on  service 
they  spent  their  time  much  as  they  liked  in  practising 
the  military  arts  or  in  study. 

As  a  mental  discipline  the  Komuso  were  under 
obligation  to  go  out  daily  to  beg  for  alms,  holding  a 
bowl  to  receive  whatever  was  bestowed  upon  them. 
They  affected  flute  playing.  This  instrument  was  cut 
from  the  stem  nearest  the  root,  the  strongest  part  of 
the  bamboo,  and  was  thus  able  to  serve  a  double 
purpose.  It  gave  the  monk,  who  carried  nothing 
with  him,  the  means  of  earning  his  daily  food, 
and  when  necessary  was  used  as  a  weapon  in  self- 
defence. 

Hayashi,  being  skilful  with  his  flute,  chose  the  life 
of  the  Komuso  as  being  the  best  suited  to  him. 

Before  leaving  Tokyo  he  visited  the  temple  where 
his  lost  love  was  buried  and  knelt  before  her  tomb. 
He  dedicated  his  whole  life  to  praying  for  the  repose 
of  her  soul  and  for  a  happier  rebirth.  Her  kaimyo 
(death-name)  he  inscribed  on  heavy  paper,  and  where- 
soever he  went  he  carried  this  in  a  fold  of  his  robe 
where  it  crossed  his  breast.  It  was,  and  still  is,  the 
custom  of  the  Komuso  to  perform  upon  the  flute  as  a 
devotional  exercise  at  religious  services. 

As  each  year  came  round  he  always  made  his  way 
to  some  tranquil  spot  and  rested  from  his  penitential 
wanderings  on  the  anniversary  of  the  death  of  Tama. 
no 


Hayashi  visits  the  temple  where  his  lost  love  was  buried,  and  dedicates  his  whole 

life  to  praying  for  the  repose  of  her  soul 


The  Reincarnation  of  Tama 

Staying  in  an  isolated  room  he  then  set  up  her  kaimyo 
in  the  alcove,  and  placing  an  incense  burner  before  it, 
kindled  the  fragrant  sticks  and  kept  them  alight  from 
sunrise  to  sunset.  Kneeling  before  this  temporary 
altar  he  took  out  his  flute,  and  pouring  the  passionate 
breath  of  his  soul  into  the  plaintive,  quivering  notes, 
he  reverently  offered  the  music  to  her  sweet  and  tender 
spirit,  remembering  the  delight  she  had  always  taken 
in  those  melodies  before  the  blossom  of  their  love 
had  been  defrauded  of  its  fruit  of  consummation  by 
the  blighting  blast  of  interference. 

And  gradually,  as  time  went  by,  the  burden  of 
sorrow  and  the  tumult  of  remorse  slipped  from  his 
soul,  and  peace  and  serenity,  the  aftermath  of  suffer- 
ing, came  to  him  at  last. 

He  roamed  all  over  the  country  for  many  years, 
and  finally  his  journeyings  brought  him  to  the  moun- 
tainous province  of  Koshu.  It  was  nightfall  when  he 
reached  the  district  and  he  lost  his  way  in  the  dark- 
ness. Worn  out  with  fatigue,  he  began  to  wonder 
where  he  should  pass  the  night,  for  no  houses  were  to 
be  seen  far  or  near,  and  everywhere  about  him  there 
was  nothing  but  a  heaping  of  hills  and  a  wild  loneliness. 

For  hours  he  strayed  about,  when  at  last,  peering 
into  the  gloom  far  up  on  the  mountain  side,  a  solitary 
light  gleamed  through  the  heavy  mists.  Greatly  re- 
lieved he  hastened  towards  it. 

As  soon  as  he  knocked  at  the  outer  door  of  the 
cottage  a  ferocious  looking  man  appeared.  When  the 
stranger  asked  for  a  night's  shelter  he  morosely  and 

in 


The  Reincarnation  of  Tama 

silently  showed  him  into  the  single  room  which,  flanked 
by  a  small  kitchen,  comprised  the  whole  dwelling. 
Hayashi,  furtively  gazing  round  him,  noticed  that 
there  were  no  industrial  implements  to  be  seen,  but 
that  in  one  corner  were  standing  a  sword  and  a  gun. 

The  host  clapped  his  hands.  In  answer  to  the  call 
a  young  girl  of  about  fifteen  years  of  age  appeared. 
He  ordered  her  to  bring  the  brazier  and  some  food  for 
the  guest.  Then  arming  himself  with  his  weapons, 
he  left  the  house. 

The  damsel  waited  on  Hayashi  attentively,  and  as 
she  went  to  and  fro  from  the  kitchen  she  often  glanced 
appealingly  at  him.  Her  attitude  was  that  of  one 
frightened  in  submission,  and  Hayashi  wondered  how 
she  came  to  be  there,  for,  though  begrimed  with  work, 
he  could  see  that  she  was  fair  and  comely,  and  her 
deportment  was  superior  to  her  surroundings. 

When  they  were  left  alone  the  girl  came  and  knelt 
before  him,  and  bursting  into  tears  sobbed  out 
"  Whoever  you  may  be  I  warn  you  to  escape  while 
there  is  yet  time.  That  man  whose  hospitality  you 
have  accepted  is  a  brigand  and  he  will  probably  kill 
you  in  the  hope  of  plunder." 

Hayashi,  with  his  heart  full  of  compassion  for  the 
young  girl,  asked  her  how  it  was  that  she  came  to  be 
living  in  so  wild  and  desolate  a  place,  and  the  tale  she 
told  him  was  a  pitiful  one  of  wrong. 

"  My  home  is  in  the  next  province,"  she  said,  as 
she  wiped  away  the  tears  with  her  sleeve.  "  Just 
after  my  father's  death  this  robber  entered  our  house 

112 


The  Reincarnation  of  Tama 


and  demanded  money  of  my  mother.  As  she  had 
none  to  give  him  he  carried  me  away,  intending  to  sell 
me  into  slavery.  Soon  after  he  brought  me  to  this 
house,  he  was  wounded  on  a  marauding  expedition, 
and  has  since  been  confined  to  the  house  for  a  month. 
Thus  it  is  that  you  find  me  here  still.  But  he  is  now 
recovered  and  able  to  go  out  once  more.  I  implore 
you  to  take  me  with  you,  otherwise  I  shall  never  see 
ms   mother  again  and  my  fate  will  be  unendurable." 

Being  of  a  chivalrous  nature  Hayashi's  heart  burned 
within  him  at  the  sad  plight  of  the  little  maid,  and 
catching  her  up  he  fled  out  of  the  robber's  den  into 
the  night. 

After  some  time,  when  well  away  from  the  place, 
he  set  her  down  and  they  walked  steadily  all  night. 
By  dawn  they  had  crossed  the  boundary  of  Koshu 
and  entered  the  neighbouring  province.  Once  on  the 
high  road  the  district  was  familiar  to  the  girl  and  she 
gladly  led  the  way  to  her  own  home. 

The  delight  of  the  sorrowing  mother  on  finding  her 
kidnapped  child  restored  to  her  was  great  and  un- 
restrained. She  fell  at  his  feet  in  a  passion  of  grati- 
tude and  thanked  him  again  and  again. 

In  the  meantime  the  rescued  girl  came  to  thank  her 
deliverer.  Hayashi  gazed  at  her  in  astonishment. 
Her  appearance  had  undergone  an  extraordinary  trans- 
formation. No  longer  the  forlorn,  neglected  drudge 
of  the  day  before,  a  beautiful  girl  stood  before  him. 
An  I  wonder  of  wonders  !  She  was  the  living  image  of 
what  his  lost  Tama  had  been  years  ago.     The  tide  of 

H  113 


The  Reincarnation  of  Tama 

the  past  swept  over  him  with  its  bitter-sweet  memories, 
leaving  him  speechless  and  racked  with  the  storm  of 
his  feelings.  Not  only  was  the  likeness  forcibly 
striking,  but  he  also  beheld  a  little  mark,  the  exact 
replica  of  the  one  he  so  well  remembered  on  Tama's 
snowy  neck. 

He  had  thought  that  in  the  long  years  of  hardship 
and  renunciation  of  the  joys  of  life  the  tragic  love 
of  his  youth  lay  buried,  but  the  shock  of  the  unmis- 
takable resemblance  left  him  trembling. 

In  a  few  minutes  he  was  able  to  control  his  emotion 
and  the  power  of  speech  returned  to  him. 

"  Tell  me,"  he  said,  turning  to  the  mother,  "  have 
you  not  some  relatives  in  Tokyo  ?  Your  daughter  is 
like  one  whom  I  knew  many  years  ago,  but  who  is 
now  dead." 

The  woman  regarded  him  searchingly  and  after  a 
few  moments  of  this  close  scrutiny,  she  inquired  : 

"  Are  you  not  Hayashi  who  lived  in  Fukagawa 
fifteen  years  ago  ?  " 

He  was  startled  by  the  suddenness  of  the  question, 
which  showed  that  his  identity  was  revealed  and  that 
she  knew  of  his  past.  He  did  not  answer  but  searched 
his  brain,  wondering  who  the  woman  could  possibly  be. 

Seeing  his  embarrassment  she  continued,  now  and 
again  wiping  the  tears  from  her  eyes  :  "  When  you 
came  to  the  house  I  thought  that  your  voice  was  in 
some  way  quite  familiar  to  me,  but  you  are  so  dis- 
guised in  your  present  garb  that  at  first  I  could  not 
recall  who  you  were. 
114 


The  Reincarnation  of  Tama 

"  Fifteen  years  ago  I  served  in  the  house  of  the  rich 
timber  merchant  in  Fukagawa  and  often  helped  O 
Tama  San  *  to  meet  you  in  secret,  for  I  felt  great 
sympathy  with  you  both,  and  if  a  day  passed  without 
her  being  able  to  see  you,  Oh  !  she  was  very  unhappy. 
Her  parents  were  furious  at  the  unwise  part  I  had 
played  and  I  was  summarily  dismissed.  I  returned 
home  and  was  almost  immediately  married.  Within 
a  year  I  gave  birth  to  a  little  daughter.  The  child 
bore  a  striking  resemblance  to  my  late  mistress  and  I 
gave  her  the  name  of  Jewel  in  remembrance  of  the 
beloved  charge  I  had  nursed  and  tended  for  so  many 
years.  As  she  grew  older  not  only  her  face  and  figure, 
but  her  voice  and  her  movements  all  vividly  recalled 
O  Tama  San.  Is  not  this  an  affinity  of  a  previous 
existence  that  my  child  should  be  saved  by  you  who 
loved  the  first  Tama  ?  " 

Then  Hayashi,  who  had  listened  with  rapt  attention 
to  the  woman's  strange  story,  asked  her  the  date  of 
the  infant's  birth. 

Marvellous  to  relate  it  was  the  very  day  and  hour, 
for  ever  indelibly  engraven  on  his  memory,  that  Tama, 
his  first  love,  had  appeared  to  him  on  the  bank  of  the 
Sumida  river  in  the  springtide  fifteen  years  ago. 

When   he   told  her   of   this   uncanny   meeting   the 

*  In  speaking  women  use  the  polite  forms  of  speech,  whereas 
men  drop  them.  The  "  O  "  is  the  honorific  prefix  to  a  woman's 
name  and  "  San  "  or  "Sama  "  is  the  equivalent  of  Mr.  Mrs.  or 
Miss  according  to  the  gender  of  the  name.  Nowadays  high-class 
women  drop  the  "  O  "  before  their  individual  names,  but  add 
"  Ko  "  after  them.  For  instance,  the  name  O  Tama  San  would 
now  be  Tama-Ko  San. 

115 


The  Reincarnation  of  Tama 

woman  said  that  she  believed  her  daughter,  the  second 
Tama,  to  be  the  re-incarnation  of  the  first  Tama. 
The  apparition  he  had  seen  was  the  spirit  of  his  love 
who  had  thus  announced  her  rebirth  into  the  world 
to  him.  There  could  be  no  doubt  of  this,  for  had  not 
Tama  told  him  herself  that  she  was  on  her  way  to  her 
old  nurse.  So  strong  was  the  affinity  that  bound 
them  to  each  other  that  it  had  drawn  Tama  from  the 
spirit-land  back  to  this  earth. 

"  Remember  the  old  proverb,  the  karma-relation  is 
deep,  she  added  in  conclusion. 

Later  on  she  besought  Hayashi  to  marry  the  second 
Tama,  for  she  believed  that  only  in  this  way  would 
the  soul  of  the  first  Tama  find  rest. 

But  Hayashi,  thinking  that  the  great  difference  in 
their  present  ages  was  an  obstacle  to  a  happy  union, 
refused  on  the  score  that  he  was  too  old  and  sad  a 
man  to  make  such  a  young  bride  happy.  He  decided, 
however,  to  stay  on  in  the  little  household  for  a  while, 
and  to  give  any  possible  comfort  and  help  to  the  old 
nurse  whose  loyal  devotion  to  her  mistress  had  figured 
so  prominently  and  fatefully  in  his  past. 

Thus  several  months  elapsed,  bringing  with  them 
great  and  radical  changes  in  the  land.  The  Restora- 
tion came  to  pass,  and  the  new  regime  was  established 
with  the  Emperor  instead  of  the  Shogun  at  the  helm 
of  State.  Schools  were  founded  all  over  the  country, 
and  amongst  many  other  old  institutions  the  order 
of  the  Komuso  monks,  to  which  Hayashi  belonged, 
was  abolished  by  an  edict  of  State. 
116 


The  Reincarnation  of  Tama 

Hayashi,  during  his  stay  in  the  village,  had  won  his 
way  into  the  hearts  of  the  people  and  they  now  begged 
him  to  remain  as  teacher  in  the  new  school,  a  position 
for  which  he  was  peculiarly  fitted  by  the  classical 
education  he  had  received  from  his  father.  He  con- 
sented to  the  proposition  which  solved  the  problem 
of  his  future,  for  under  the  new  laws  it  was  forbidden 
him  to  return  to  his  old  life. 

The  mayor  of  the  place  was  also  much  attracted  by 
Hayashi's  superior  character  and  dignity,  and  learning 
of  the  sad  and  romantic  history  of  his  past,  and  be- 
lieving, as  all  Japanese  do,  in  predestined  affinities, 
persuaded  him  that  it  was  his  fate,  nay  more,  a  debt 
he  owed  to  the  past,  to  marry  Tama,  the  second,  the 
re-incarnation  of  his  first  love. 

The  marriage  proved  a  blessed  one.  The  house  of 
Hayashi  prospered  from  that  day  forth  and  as  children 
were  born  to  them  the  joy  of  their  lives  was  complete. 


117 


The  Lady  of  the  Picture 


The  Lady  of  the  Picture 

'ANY  years  ago,  long  before  the  present  pro- 
saic era,  there  lived  in  Yedo  a  young  man 
named  Toshika.  His  family  belonged 
to  the  aristocratic  rank  of  the  hatamoto 
samurai,  those  knights  who  possessed  the  right  to  march 
to  battle  directly  under  the  Shogun's  flag  (hata),  and  his 
father  was  a  high  official  in  the  Tokugawa  Shogunate. 
Toshika,  whose  disposition  was  of  a  dreamy  and 
indolent  nature  with  scholarly  tastes,  had  no  occupa- 
tion. He  took  life  easily,  and  when  his  studies  were 
finished,  he  went  to  live  at  the  family  villa  situated 
in  the  suburb  of  Aoyama. 

Toshika  was  not  interested  in  society,  and  except 
for  an  occasional  visit  to  his  home  or  to  his  favourite 
friend,  he  never  went  anywhere.  Far  from  the  world 
he  spent  his  days  quietly  and  pleasantly,  reading 
books,  tending  and  watering  his  flowers,  practising 
the  tea-ceremony,  and  composing  poetry  and  playing 
on  the  flute.  He  was  a  young  man  of  many  accom- 
plishments and  studied  art.  He  collected  curios 
and  specimens  of  well-known  calligraphy,  which  all 
Japanese  prize  greatly,  and  he  particularly  delighted 
in  pictures. 

One  day  a  certain  friend  whom  Toshika  had  not 
seen  for  several  months,  came  to  call  upon  him. 
He  had  just  returned  from  a  visit  to  the  seaport  of 
Nagasaki  and  knowing  the  young  man's  tastes  had 

121 


The  Lady  of  the  Picture 

brought  with  him,  as  a  present,  a  Chinese  drawing  of 
a  beautiful  woman,  which  he  begged  Toshika  to 
accept. 

Toshika  was  very  pleased  with  this  acquisition  to 
his  treasures.  He  examined  the  painting  carefully, 
and  though  he  could  find  no  signature  of  the  artist, 
his  knowledge  of  the  subject  told  him  that  it  was 
probably  drawn  by  the  well-known  Chinese  painter 
of  the  Shin  era. 

It  was  the  portrait  of  a  young  woman  in  the  prime 
of  youth,  and  Toshika  felt  intuitively  that  it  was  a 
real  likeness.  The  face  was  one  of  radiant  loveliness, 
and  the  longer  he  gazed  at  it,  the  more  the  charm  and 
fascination  of  it  grew  upon  him.  He  carried  it  to  his 
own  room  and  hung  it  up  in  the  alcove.  Whenever 
he  felt  lonely  he  retired  to  the  solitude  of  his  chamber, 
and  sat  for  hours  before  the  drawing,  looking  at  it 
and  even  addressing  it.  As  the  days  went  by,  gradu- 
ally the  picture  seemed  to  glow  with  life  and  Toshika 
began  to  think  of  it  as  a  person.  He  wondered  who 
the  original  of  the  portrait  could  have  been,  and  said 
that  he  envied  the  artist  who  had  been  granted  the 
happiness  of  looking  upon  her  beauty. 

Daily  the  figure  seemed  more  alive  and  the  face 
more  exquisite,  and  Toshika,  as  he  gazed  in  rapture 
upon  it,  longed  to  know  its  history.  The  haunting 
pathos  of  the  expression  and  the  speaking  wistfulness 
of  the  dark  soft  eyes  called  to  his  heart  like  music 
and  gave  him  no  peace. 

Toshika,  in  fact,  became  enamoured  of  the  lovely 

122 


The  Lady  of  the  Picture 


image  suspended  in  the  alcove,  and  as  the  infatuation 
'  grew  upon  him  he  placed  fresh  flowers  before  it,  chang- 
ing them  daily.  At  night  he  had  his  quilts  *  so 
arranged  that  the  last  thing  he  looked  upon  before 
closing  his  eyes  in  sleep  was  the  lady  of  the  picture. 

Toshika  had  read  many  strange  stories  of  the  super- 
natural power  of  great  artists.  He  knew  that  they 
were  able  to  paint  the  minds  of  the  originals  into  their 
portraits,"  whether  of  human  beings  or  of  creatures, 
so  that  through  the  spiritual  force  of  the  merit  of 
their  skill  the  pictures  became  endowed  with  life. 

As  the  passion  grew  upon  him  the  young  lover  be- 
lieved that  the  spirit  of  the  woman  whom  the  portrait 
represented  actually  lived  in  the  picture.  As  this 
thought  formed  itself  in  his  mind  he  fancied  that 
he  could  see  the  gentle  rise  and  fall  of  her  breast  in 
breathing,  and  that  her  pretty  lips,  bright  as  the 
scarlet  pomegranate  bud,  appeared  to  move  as  if  about 
to  speak  to  him. 

One  evening  he  was  so  filled  with  the  sense  of  the 
reality  of  her  presence  that  he  sat  down  and  composed 
a  Chinese  poem  in  praise  of  her  beauty. 

And  the  meaning  of  the  high-flown  diction  ran 
something  like  this  ; 

Thy  beauty,  sweet,  is  like  the  ume-jiower  :  f 

The  crescent  moon  of  three  nights  old  thy  arched  brows : 

*  The  floor  of  the  Japanese  room  is  padded  with  special  grass 
mats  over  two  inches  thick.  On  these  the  bed  quilts  are  laid 
out  at  night  and  packed  away  in  cupboards  in  the  daytime. 

f  Prumus  Umd,  or  Plum  blossom,  the  Japanese  symbol  of 
womanly  virtue  and  beauty. 

123 


The  Lady  of  the  Picture 

Thy  lips  the  cherry's  dewy  petals  at  flush  of  dawn  : 
Twin  flakes  of  fresh-fallen  snow  thy  dainty  hands. 
Blue-black,  as  raven's  wing,  thy  clustering  hair  : 
And  as  the  sun  half  peers  through  rifts  of  cloud, 
Gleams  through  thy  robes  the  wonder  of  thy  form. 
Thy  cheeks'  dear  freshness  do  bewilder  me, 
So  pure,  so  delicate,  rose-misted  ivory  : 
And,  like  a  sharp  sword,  pierce  my  breast 
The  glamour  of  thy  dark  eyes'  messages. 

Ah,  as  I  gaze  upon  thy  pictured  form 

I  feel  therein  thy  spirit  is  enshrined, 

Surely  thou  liv'st  and  know'st  my  love  for  thee  ! 

The  one  who  unawares  so  dear  a  gift  bestowed 

Was  verily  the  gods'  own  messenger 

And  sent  by  Heaven  to  link  our  souls  in  one. 

'Tis  sad  that  thou  wert  borne  from  thine  own  distant  land 

Far  from  thy  race,  and  all  who  cherished  thee  ; 

Thy  heart  must  lonely  pine  so  far  away, 

In  sooth  thou  need'st  a  mate  to  love  and  cherish  thee. 

But  sorrow  not,  my  picture  love, 

For  Time's  care-laden  wings  will  never  dim  thy  brow 

From  poisoned  darts  of  Fate  so  placidly  immune  ; 

Anguish  and  grief  will  ne'er  corrode  thy  heart, 

And  never  will  thy  beauty  suffer  change  : 

While  earthly  beings  wither  and  decay 

Sickness  and  care  will  ever  pass  thee  by, 

For  Art  can  grant  where  Love  is  impotent, 

And  dowers  thee  with  immortality. 

124 


The  Lady  of  the  Picture 

Ah  me  !  could  the  high  gods  but  grant  the  prayer 

Of  my  wild  heart,  and  passionate  desire  ! 

Step  down  from  out  thy  cloistered  niche, 

Step  down  from  out  thy  picture  on  the  wall ! 

My  soul  is  thirsting  for  thy  presence  fair 

To  crown  my  days  with  rapture — be  my  wife  ! 

How  swift  the  winged  hours  would  then  pass  by 

In  bliss  complete,  and  lovers'  ecstasy  : 

My  life,  dear  queen,  I  dedicate  to  thee, 

Ah  !  make  it  thus  a  thousand  lives  to  me  !  * 

Toshika  smiled  to  himself  at  the  wild  impossibility 
of  his  own  chimera.  Such  a  hope  as  he  had  breathed 
to  her  and  to  himself  belonged  to  the  realm  of  reverie, 
and  not  to  the  hard  world  of  everyday  life.  Sup- 
posing that  beautiful  creature  to  have  ever  lived  and 
the  portrait  to  be  a  true  likeness  of  her,  she  must 
have  died  ages  ago,  long  before  ever  he  was  born. 

However,  having  written  the  poem  carefully,  he 
placed  it  above  the  scroll  and  read  it  aloud,  apostro- 
phizing the  lady  of  the  picture. 

It  was  the  delicious  season  of  spring,  and  Toshika 
sat  with  the  sliding  screens  open  to  the  garden.  The 
fragrance  of  peach  blossoms  was  wafted  into  the  room 
by  the  breath  of  a  gentle  wind,  and  as  the  light  of  day 
faded  into  a  soft  twilight,  over  the  quiet  and  secluded 
scene  a  crescent  moon  shed  her  tender  jewel-bright 
radiance. 

Toshika  felt  unaccountably  happy,  he  could  not 

*  Rendered  into  English  verse  by  my  friend,  Countess  Iso-ko- 
Mutsu. 

125 


The  Lady  of  the  Picture 


tell  why  and  sat  alone,  reading  and  thinking  deep  into 
the  night. 

Suddenly,  in  the  stillness  of  the  midnight,  a  rustle 
behind  him  in  the  alcove  caused  him  to  turn  round 
quickly. 

What  was  his  breathless  amazement  to  see  that  the 
picture  had  actually  taken  life.  The  beautiful  woman 
he  so  much  admired  detached  herself  from  the  paper 
on  which  she  was  depicted,  stepped  down  on  to  the 
mats,  and  came  gliding  lightly  towards  him.  He 
scarcely  dared  to  breathe.  Nearer  and  nearer  she 
approached  till  she  knelt  opposite  to  where  he  sat  by 
his  desk.     Saluting  him  she  bowed  profoundly. 

The  ravishment  of  her  beauty  and  her  charm  held 
him  speechless.  He  could  not  but  look  at  her,  for  she 
was  lovelier  than  anyone  he  had  ever  seen. 

At  last  she  spoke,  and  her  voice  sounded  to  him  like 
the  low,  clear  notes  of  the  nightingale  warbling  in 
the  plum-blossom  groves  at  twilight. 

"  I  have  come  to  thank  you  for  your  love  and  de- 
votion. Such  a  useless,  ugly  *  creature  as  myself  ought 
not  to  be  so  audacious  as  to  appear  before  you,  but 
the  virtue  of  your  poem  was  irresistible  and  drew  me 
forth.  I  was  so  moved  by  your  sympathy  that  I  felt 
I  must  tell  you  in  person  of  my  gratitude  for  all  your 
care  and  thought  of  me.  If  you  really  think  of 
me  as  you  have  written,  let  me  stay  with  you 
always." 


*  It  is  a  Japanese  custom  for  a  woman  to  speak  thus  depre- 
ciatingly of  herself. 

126 


The  Lady  of  the  Picture 

Toshika  rejoiced  greatly  when  he  heard  these 
words.  He  put  out  his  hand  and  taking  hers 
said,  "  Ever  since  you  came  here  I  have  loved  you 
dearly.  Consent  to  be  my  wife  and  we  shall  be 
happy  evermore.  Tell  me  your  name  and  who  you 
are  and  where  you  come  from." 

She  answered  with  a  smile  inexpressibly  sweet, 
while  the  tears  glistened  in  her  eyes. 

"  My  name  is  Shorei  (Little  Beauty).  My  father's 
name  is  Sai.  He  was  descended  from  the  famous 
Kinkei.  We  lived  in  China  at  a  place  called  Kinyo. 
One  day,  when  I  was  eighteen  years  of  age,  bandits 
came  and  made  a  raid  on  our  village  and,  with  other 
fair  women,  carried  me  away.  Thus  I  was  separated 
from  my  parents  and  never  saw  them  more.  For 
many  months  I  was  carried  from  place  to  place  and 
led  a  wandering  life.  Then,  alas  !  who  could  have 
foretold  it,  I  was  seized  by  bad  men  and  sold  into 
slavery.  The  sorrow,  the  anguish  and  the  horror  I 
suffered  in  my  helpless  misery  and  homesickness  you 
can  never  know.  I  longed  every  hour  of  the  day  for 
some  tidings  of  my  parents,  for  even  now,  I  do  not 
know  what  became  of  them.  One  day  an  artist  came 
to  the  house  of  my  captivity  and  looking  at  all  the 
women  there,  he  praised  my  face  and  described  me 
as  the  Moon  among  the  Stars.  And  he  painted  my 
picture  and  showed  it  to  all  his  friends.  In  that  way 
I  became  famous,  for  everyone  talked  of  my  beauty 
and  came  to  see  me.  But  I  could  not  bear  my  life, 
and   being   delicate,    my   unhappy  lot   and   the   un- 

127 


The  Lady  of  the  Picture 

certainty  of  my  father's  and  mother's  fate  preyed  upon 
my  mind,  so  that  I  sickened  and  died  in  six  months. 
This  is  the  whole  of  my  sad  history.  And  now  I  have 
come  to  your  country  and  to  you.  This  must  be 
because  of  a  predestined  affinity  between  us." 

The  young  man's  heart  was  filled  with  compassion 
as  he  listened  to  the  sorrowful  tale  of  the  unfortunate 
woman,  who  had  told  him  all  her  woes. 

He  felt  that  he  loved  her  more  than  ever  and  that 
he  must  make  up  with  his  devotion  for  all  the  wretched- 
ness she  had  suffered  in  the  past. 

They  then  began  to  compose  poems  together,  and 
Toshika  found  that  Shorei  had  had  a  literary  educa- 
tion, that  she  was  an  adept  in  calligraphy  and  every 
kind  of  poetical  composition.  And  his  heart  was 
filled  with  a  great  gladness  that  he  had  found  a  com- 
panion after  his  own  heart. 

They  both  became  intensely  interested  in  their 
poetical  contest  and  as  they  composed  they  read 
their  compositions  aloud  in  turn,  comparing  and 
criticizing  each  other.  At  last,  while  Toshika  was  in 
the  act  of  reciting  a  poem  to  Shorei,  he  suddenly 
awoke  and  found  that  he  had  been  dreaming. 

Unable  to  believe  that  his  delightful  experiences 
were  but  the  memories  of  sleep  he  turned  to  the  alcove. 
His  cherished  picture  was  hanging  there  and  the  lovely 
figure  was  limned  as  usual  in  living  lines  upon  the 
paper.  Was  it  all  a  delusion  ?  As  he  watched  the 
exquisite  face  before  him,  recalling  with  questioning 
wonder  the  events  of  the  evening  before,  behold  ! 
128 


'When  T  was  eighteen'years  of  age,  bandits  .   .   .  made  a  raid  on  our 
village  and  .   .   .  carried  me  away  " 


The  Lady  of  the  Picture 


the  sweet  mouth  smiled  at  him,  just  as  Shorei  had 
smiled  in  his  vision.  Impatiently  he  waited  for  the 
darkness,  hoping  that  sleep  would  again  bring  Shorei 
to  his  side.  Night  after  night  she  came  to  him  in 
his  dreams,  but  of  his  happy  adventure  he  spoke  to 
none.  He  believed  that  in  some  miraculous  way  the 
power  of  poetry  had  evoked  the  spirit  of  the  portrait. 
Centuries  ago  this  ill-fated  woman  had  lived  and  died 
an  untimely  death,  and  his  love  led  her  back  to  earth 
through  the  medium  of  an  artist's  skill  and  his  own 
verse.  Six  months  passed  and  Toshika  desired  no- 
thing more  in  life  than  to  possess  Shorei  as  his  bride 
for  all  the  years  to  come. 

He  never  dreamed  of  change,  but  at  last,  one  night, 
Shorei  came  looking  very  sad.  She  sat  by  his  desk 
as  was  her  wont,  but  instead  of  conversing  or  com- 
posing she  began  to  weep. 

Toshika  was  very  troubled,  for  he  had  never  seen 
her  in  such  a  mood. 

"  Tell  me,"  he  said  anxiously,  "  What  is  the  matter  ? 
Are  you  not  happy  with  me  ?  " 

"  Ah,  it  is  not  that,"  answered  Shorei,  hiding  her 
face  in  her  sleeve  and  sobbing ;  "  never  have  I  dreamed 
of  such  happiness  as  you  have  given  me.  It  is  be- 
cause we  are  so  happy  that  I  cannot  bear  the  pain  of 
separation  for  a  single  night.  But  I  must  now  leave 
you,  alas  !  Our  affinity  in  this  world  has  come  to 
an  end." 

Toshika  could  hardly  believe  her  words.  He  looked 
at  her  in  great  distress  as  he  asked  : 

i  129 


The  Lady  of  the  Picture 

"  Why  must  we  part  ?  You  are  my  wife  and  I  will 
never  marry  any  other  woman.  Tell  me  why  you 
speak  of  parting  ?  " 

"  To-morrow  you  will  understand,"  she  answered 
mysteriously.  "  We  may  meet  no  more  now,  but  if 
you  do  not  forget  me  I  may  see  you  again  ere 
long." 

Toshika  had  put  out  a  hand  and  made  as  if  to  de- 
tain her,  but  she  had  risen  and  was  gliding  towards 
the  alcove,  and  while  he  imploringly  gazed  at  her 
she  gradually  faded  from  his  sight  and  was  gone. 

Words  cannot  describe  Toshika's  despair.  He  felt 
that  all  the  joy  of  lile  went  with  Shorei,  and  he  could 
not  endure  the  idea  of  living  without  her. 

Slowly  he  opened  his  eyes  and  looked  round  the 
room.  He  heard  the  sparrows  twittering  on  the  roof, 
and  in  the  light  of  dawn,  as  he  thought,  the  night- 
lantern's  flame  dwindled  to  a  fire-fly's  spark. 

He  rose  and  rolled  back  the  wooden  storm-doors 
which  shut  the  house  in  completely  at  night,  and  found 
that  he  had  slept  late,  that  the  sun  was  already  high 
in  the  heavens. 

Listlessly  he  performed  his  toilet,  listlessly  he  took 
his  meal,  and  his  old  servants  anxiously  went  about 
their  work,  fearing  that  their  master  was  ill. 

In  the  afternoon  a  friend  came  to  call  on  Toshika. 
After  exchanging  the  usual  formalities  on  meeting, 
the  visitor  suddenly  said  : 

"  You  are  now  of  an  age  to  marry.  Will  you  not 
take  a  bride  ?  I  know  of  a  lovely  girl  who  would  just 
130 


The  Lady  of  the  Picture 

suit  you,  and  I  have  come  to  consult  with  you  on  the 


matter." 


Toshika  politely  but  firmly  excused  himself.  "  Do 
not  trouble  yourself  on  my  account,  I  pray  you  !  I 
have  not  the  slightest  intention  of  marrying  any 
woman  at  present,  thank  you,"  and  he  shook  his  head 
with  determination. 

The  would-be  go-between  saw  from  the  expression 
of  Toshika's  face  that  there  was  little  hope  in  pressing 
his  suit  that  day,  so  after  a  few  commonplace  remarks 
he  took  his  leave  and  went  home. 

No  sooner  had  the  friend  departed  than  Toshika's 
mother  arrived.  She,  as  usual,  brought  many  gifts 
of  things  that  she  knew  he  liked,  boxes  of  his  favourite 
cakes  and  silk  clothes  for  the  spring  season.  Grateful 
for  all  her  love  and  care,  he  thanked  her  affectionately 
and  tried  to  appear  bright  and  cheerful  during  her 
visit.  But  his  heart  was  aching,  and  he  could  think 
of  nothing  but  of  the  loss  of  Shorei,  wondering  if  her 
farewell  was  final,  or  whether,  as  she  vaguely  hinted, 
she  would  come  to  him  again.  He  said  to  himself 
that  to  hold  her  in  his  arms  but  once  again  he  would 
gladly  give  the  rest  of  his  life. 

His  mother  noticed  his  preoccupation  and  looked  at 
him  anxiously  many  times.  At  last  she  dropped  her 
voice  and  said  : 

"  Toshika,  listen  to  me  !     Your  father  and  I  both 
think  that  you  have  arrived  at  an  age  when  you  ought-' 
to  marry.     You  are  our  eldest  son,  and  before  we  die 
we  wish  to  see  your  son,  and  to  feel  sure  that  the 

131 


The  Lady  of  the  Picture 

family  name  will  be  carried  on  as  it  should  be.  We 
know  of  a  beautiful  girl  who  will  make  a  perfect  wife 
for  you.  She  is  the  daughter  of  an  old  friend,  and 
her  parents  are  willing  to  give  her  to  you.  We  only 
want  your  consent  to  the  arrangement  of  the  mar- 
riage." 

Toshika,  as  his  mother  unfolded  the  object  of  her 
visit,  understood  the  meaning  of  Shorei's  warning, 
and  said  to  himself  : 

"  Ah,  this  is  what  Shorei  meant — she  foresaw  my 
marriage,  for  she  said  that  to-day  I  should  understand  ; 
but  she  pledged  herself  at  the  same  time  to  see  me 
again — it  is  all  very  strange  !  " 

Feeling  that  his  fate  was  come  upon  him  he  con- 
sented to  his  mother's  proposal. 

She  returned  home  delighted.  She  had  had  little 
doubt  of  her  son's  conformance  to  his  parents'  wishes, 
for  he  had  always  been  of  a  tractable  disposition. 
In  anticipation,  therefore,  of  his  consent  to  the 
marriage,  she  had  already  bought  the  necessary  be- 
trothal presents,  and  the  very  next  day  these  were 
exchanged  between  the  two  families. 

Toshika,  in  the  meantime,  watched  the  picture  day 
by  day.  This  was  his  only  consolation,  for  Shorei,  his 
beloved,  visited  him  no  more  in  his  dreams.  His 
life  was  desolate  without  her  and  his  heart  yearned 
for  her  sweet  presence.  Had  it  not  been  for  her 
promise  to  come  to  him  again  he  knew  that  he  would 
not  care  to  live.  He  felt,  however,  that  she  still 
loved  him  and  in  some  way  or  other  would  keep  her 
132 


When  the  bride  was  led  into  the  room  and  seated  opposite  Toshika,  what  was  his 
bewildering  delight  to  see  that  she  was   .  .   .  the  lady-love  of  his  picture 


The  Lady  of  the  Picture 

promise  to  him,  and  for  this  waited.  Of  his  approach- 
ing marriage  he  did  not  dare  to  think.  He  was  a 
filial  son,  and  knew  that  he  must  fulfil  his  duty  to 
his  parents  and  to  the  family. 

As  the  days  went  by  Toshika  noticed  that  the 
picture  lost  by  degrees  its  wonderful  vitality.  Slowly 
from  the  face  the  winning  expression  and  from  the 
figure  the  tints  of  life  faded  out,  till  at  last  the  drawing 
became  just  like  an  ordinary  picture.  But  he  was 
left  no  time  to  pine  over  the  mystery  of  the  change, 
for  a  summons  from  his  mother  called  him  home  to 
prepare  for  the  marriage.  He  found  the  whole  house- 
hold teeming  with  the  importance  of  the  approaching 
event.     At  last  the  momentous  day  dawned. 

His  mother,  proud  of  the  product  of  her  looms, 
set  out  in  array  his  wedding  robes,  handwoven  by 
herself.  He  donned  them  as  in  a  dream,  and  then 
received  the  congratulations  of  his  relatives  and  re- 
tainers and  servants. 

In  those  old  days  the  bride  and  bridegroom  never 
saw  each  other  till  the  wedding  ceremony.  When 
the  bride  was  led  into  the  room  and  seated  opposite 
Toshika,  what  was  his  bewildering  delight  to  see  that 
she  was  no  stranger  but  the  lady-love  of  his  picture, 
the  very  same  woman  he  had  already  taken  to  wife 
in  his  dream  life. 

And  yet  she  was  not  quite  the  same,  for  when 
Toshika,  a  few  days  later,  joyfully  led  her  to  his  own 
home  and  compared  her  with  the  portrait,  she  was 
even  ten  times  more  beautiful. 

133 


Ura sato's  escape  from  the  Yamana-Ya 


Urasato,  or  the  Crow 
of  Dawn 


THE    POSITION   AT   THE    OPENING 
OF   THE    STORY 

Urasato  and  Tokijiro  are  lovers.  The  child,  Midori,  is  born 
of  this  liaison.  Tokijiro  is  a  samurai  in  the  service  of  a  Daimyo, 
and  has  charge  of  his  lord's  treasure  department.  He  is  a 
careless  young  man  of  a  wild-oat-sowing  disposition,  and  while 
entirely  absorbed  in  this  love  affair  with  Urasato,  a  valuable 
kakemono,  one  of  the  Daimyo's  heirlooms,  is  stolen.  The  loss 
is  discovered  and  Tokijiro,  who  is  held  responsible,  dismissed. 

To  give  Tokijiro  the  means  of  livelihood  so  that  he  may 
pursue  the  quest  of  the  lost  treasure,  Urasato  sells  herself  to  a 
house  of  ill-fame,  the  Yamana-Ya  by  name,  taking  with  her 
the  child  Midori,  who  is  ignorant  of  her  parentage.  Kambei, 
the  knave  of  a  proprietor,  is  evidently  a  curio  collector,  and 
it  is  to  be  gathered  from  the  context  that  the  unfortunate 
young  couple  have  some  suspicion — afterwards  justified — that 
by  some  means  or  other  he  has  obtained  possession  of  the 
kakemono — hence  Urasato's  choice  of  that  particular  house. 

Tokijiro's  one  idea  is  to  rescue  Urasato,  to  whom  he  is  de- 
voted, but  for  lack  of  money  he  cannot  visit  her  openly,  and 
Kambei,  seeing  in  him  an  unprofitable  customer,  and  uneasy 
about  the  picture,  for  which  he  knows  Tokijiro  to  be  searching, 
forbade  him  the  house,  and  persecutes  Urasato  and  Midori  to 
find  out  his  whereabouts,  in  order,  probably,  that  he  may  have 
him  quietly  put  out  of  the  way. 

As  in  all  these  old  love  stories  the  hero  is  depicted  as  a  weak 
character,  for  love  of  women  was  supposed  to  have  an  effeminiz- 
ing  and  debasing  effect  on  men  and  was  greatly  discouraged 

135 


among  the  samurai  by  the  feudal  Daimyo  of  the  martial  pro- 
vinces. On  the  other  hand,  the  woman,  though  lost,  having 
cast  herself  on  the  altar  of  what  she  considers  her  duty — the 
Moloch  of  Japan — often  rises  to  sublime  heights  of  heroism 
and  self-abnegation,  a  paradox  only  found,  it  is  said,  in  these  J 
social  conditions  of  Japan.  Urasato  reminds  one  of  the  beautP" 
ful  simile  of  the  lotus  that  raises  its  head  of  dazzling  bloom  out 
of  the  slime  of  the  pond — so  tender  are  her  sentiments,  so 
strong  and  so  faithful  in  character  is  she,  in  the  midst  of  misery 
and  horror. 

This  recitation,  freely  rendered  into  English  from  the 
chanted  drama,  tells  the  story  of  Urasato's  incarceration,  of 
the  lover's  stolen  interviews,  of  the  inadvertent  finding  of 
the  picture,  and  of  Urasato's  and  Midori's  final  escape  from 
the  dread  Yamana-Ya. 


136 


Urasato,  or  the  Crow 
of  Dawn  * 


THE  darkness  was  falling  with  the  tender 
luminosity  of  an  eastern  twilight  over  the 
house ;  the  sky  was  softly  clouding,  and  a 
gentle  wind  sprang  up  and  sighed  through 
the  pine-trees  like  a  lullaby — the  hush  that  comes  at 
the  end  of  the  day  with  its  promise  of  rest  was  over 
all  the  world,  but  in  spite  of  the  peaceful  aspect  of 
nature  and  of  her  surroundings,  Urasato,  as  she  came 
from  her  bath  robed  in  crepe  and  silken  daintiness, 
felt  very  unhappy.  To  her  world  the  night  brought  no 
peace  or  rest,  only  accumulated  wretchedness  and  woe. 
Midori,  her  little  handmaid,  followed  her  fair 
mistress  upstairs,  and  as  Urasato  languidly  pushed 
open  the  sliding  screens  of  her  room  and  sank  upon 
the  mats,  Midori  fetched  the  tobacco  tray  with  its 
tiny  lacquer  chest  and  miniature  brazier  all  aglow, 
and  placed  it  by  her  side. 

*  The  Crow  of  Dawn,  or  Akegarasu,  another  name  for  the  story 
of  Urasato.  Akegarasu,  literally  rendered  means  "  Dawn-Crow." 
It  is  an  expression  which  typifies  the  wrench  of  parting  at  day- 
break which  lovers  like  Tokijiro  and  Urasato  experience,  when 
dawn  comes  heralded  by  the  croak  of  a  crow  (karasu)  flying 
across  the  half-lit  sky — a  sign  that  the  time  for  the  two  to  separate 
has  come. 

This  story  is  taken  from  the  Gidayu  or  musical  drama,  in 
which  the  chanter  mimes  the  voices  and  actions  of  the  many 
different  characters  to  an  accompaniment  on  the  samisen  (guitar 
or  banjo).  : 

137 


Urasato,  or  the  Crow  of  Dawn 


Urasato  took  up  her  little  pipe,  and  with  the  weed 
of  forgetfulness  lulled  for  a  while  the  pain  of  longing 
and  loneliness  which  filled  her  heart.  As  she  put 
the  tobacco  in  the  tiny  pipe-bowl  and  smoked  it  in 
one  or  two  whiffs  and  then  refilled  it  again,  the  tap, 
tap  of  the  pipe  on  the  tray  as  she  emptied  the  ashes 
were  the  only  sounds,  interluded  with  sighs  that  broke 
the  stillness.  "  Kachi,"  "  Kachi,"  "  Kachi  "  sounded 
the  little  pipe. 

Tokijiro,  waiting  hopelessly  outside  the  fence  in 
the  cold,  could  not  so  forget  his  misery.  He  kept  in 
the  shadow  so  as  not  to  be  seen  by  the  other  inmates 
of  the  house,  for  if  he  were  discovered  he  would  lose 
all  chance  of  seeing  Urasato  that  evening  and,  perhaps, 
for  ever.  What  might  happen  if  these  secret  visits 
were  discovered  he  dared  not  think.  To  catch  one 
glimpse  of  her  he  loved  he  had  come  far  through  the 
snow,  and  after  losing  his  way  and  wandering  about 
for  hours,  he  now  found  himself  outside  the  house, 
and  waited,  tired  and  cold  and  miserable,  by  the  bam- 
boo fence. 

"  Life,"  said  Tokijiro,  speaking  to  himself,  "  is  full 
of  change  like  a  running  stream.  Some  time  ago  I 
lost  one  of  my  lord's  treasures,  an  old  and  valuable 
kakemono  of  a  drawing  of  a  garyobai  (a  plum-tree 
trained  in  the  shape  of  a  dragon).  I  ought  to  have 
taken  more  care  of  the  property  entrusted  to  me. 
I  was  accused  of  carelessness  and  dismissed.  Secretly 
I  am  searching  for  it,  but  till  now  I  have  found  no 
clue  of  the  picture.  I  have  even  brought  my  troubles 
138 


Urasato,  or  the  Crow  of  Dawn 

to  Urasato,  and  made  her  unhappy  about  the  lost 
treasure.  Alas  !  I  cannot  bear  to  live  longer.  If  I 
cannot  see  Urasato  I  will  at  least  look  upon  little 
Midori's  face  once  more  and  then  take  leave  of  this 
life  for  ever.  The  more  I  think,  the  more  our  mutual 
vows  seem  hopeless.  My  love  for  this  imprisoned 
flower  has  become  deeper  and  deeper,  and  now, 
alas  !  I  cannot  see  her  more.  Such  is  this  world  of 
pain  !  " 

While  Tokijiro  thus  soliloquized  outside  in  the 
snow,  Urasato  in  the  room  was  speaking  to  her  child- 
attendant,  Midori. 

"  Midori,  tell  me,  are  you  sure  no  one  saw  my  letter 
to  Toki  Sama  yesterday  ?  " 

"  You  need  have  no  anxiety  about  that,  I  gave  it 
myself  to  Toki  Sama,"  *  answered  Midori. 

"  Hush,"  said  Urasato,  "  you  must  not  talk  so 
loudly — some  one  might  overhear  you  !  " 

"  All  right,"  whispered  the  little  girl,  obediently. 
Leaving  Urasato's  side  she  walked  over  to  the  balcony 
and  looking  down  into  the  garden  she  caught  sight 
of  Tokijiro  standing  outside  the  fence. 

"  There,  there  !  "  exclaimed  Midori,  "  there  is  Toki 
Sama  outside  the  fence." 

When  Urasato  heard  these  words  joy  filled  her 
breast,  a  smile  spread  over  her  sad  face,  her  languor 
vanished,  and  rising  quickly  from  her  seat  on  the 
mats,   she   glided   to   the   balcony  and    placing   her 

*  Sama,  a  title  equivalent  to  Mr.  It  is  a  polite  term  used  for 
both  men  and  women. 

139 


Urasato,  or  the  Crow  of  Dawn 

hands  on  the  rail  leaned  far  out  so  that  she  could  see 
Tokijiro. 

"  Oh !  Tokijiro  San,"  she  exclaimed,  "  you  have 
come  again  at  last,  how  glad  I  am  to  see  you  !  " 

Tokijiro,  on  hearing  her  voice  calling  him,  looked 
up  through  the  pine  branches  and  the  tears  sprang 
to  his  eyes  at  sight  of  her,  for  into  the  depths  of  love 
their  hearts  sank  always  deeper  and  the  two  were 
fettered  each  to  each  with  that  bond  of  illusion  which 
is  stronger  than  the  threat  of  hell  or  the  promise  of 
heaven. 

"  Oh ! "  said  Urasato,  sadly,  "  what  can  I  have 
done  in  a  former  life  that  this  should  be  insupportable 
without  the  sight  of  you  ?  The  desire  to  see  you  only 
increases  in  the  darkness  of  love.  At  first,  a  tender- 
ness, it  spread  through  my  whole  being,  and  now  I 
love — I  love.  The  things  I  would  tell  you  are  as  great 
in  number  as  the  teeth  of  my  comb,  but  I  cannot  say 
them  to  you  at  this  distance.  When  you  are  absent 
I  must  sleep  alone,  instead  of  your  arm  my  hand  the 
only  pillow,  while  my  pillow  is  wet  with  tears  longing 
for  you, — if  only  it  were  the  pillow  of  Kantan  *  I 
could  at  least  dream  that  you  were  by  my  side.  Poor 
comfort  'tis  for  love  to  live  on  dreams  !  " 

As  she  spoke,  Urasato  leaned  far  out  over  the  bal- 
cony, the  picture  of  youth,  grace  and  beauty,  her 
figure  supple  and  fragile  as  a  willow  branch  wafted 

*  This  is  an  allusion  to  a  Chinese  story,  related  in  the  musical 
drama,  where  a  poor  man  of  Kantan  fell  asleep  and  dreamed  that 
he  became  Emperor  and  had  all  that  he  could  desire. 

140 


As  she  spoke,  Urasato  leaned  far  out  over  the  balcony,  the  picture 
of  youth,  grace  and  beauty 


Jk& 


Urasato,  or  the  Crow  of  Dawn 

to  and  fro  by  a  summer  breeze,  and  about  her  an  air 
of  the  wistful  sadness  of  the  rains  of  early  spring. 

"  Oh  !  Urasato  !  "  said  Tokijiro,  sadly,  "  the  longer 
I  stay  here  the  worse  it  will  be  for  you.  If  we  are 
discovered  not  only  you,  but  Midori  also  will  be 
punished,  and  as  she  does  not  know  all  how  unhappy 
she  will  be,  and  what  will  you  do  then.   Oh  !  misery  !  " 

Urasato,  overcome  with  the  bitterness  of  their 
troubles  and  the  hopelessness  of  their  situation,  and 
as  if  to  shield  Midori,  impulsively  drew  the  child  to 
her  and,  embracing  her  with  tenderness,  burst  into 
tears. 

The  sound  of  footsteps  suddenly  startled  them  both. 
Urasato  straightened  herself  quickly,  pushed  the 
child  from  her,  and  wiped  away  her  tears.  Midori, 
always  clever  and  quick-witted,  rolled  a  piece  of  paper 
into  a  ball  and  threw  it  quickly  over  the  fence.  It 
was  a  pre-arranged  signal  of  danger.  Tokijiro  under- 
stood and  hid  himself  out  of  sight.  The  screen  of 
the  room  was  pushed  aside  and  not  the  dreaded  pro- 
prietor nor  his  shrew  of  a  wife,  but  the  kindly  and 
indispensable  hair-dresser,  O  *  Tatsu,  appeared. 

"  Oh,  courtezan,"  said  the  woman,  "  I  fear  that  I 
have  kept  you  waiting.  I  wanted  to  come  earlier, 
but  I  had  so  many  customers  that  I  could  not  get 
away  before.  As  soon  as  I  could  do  so  I  left  and  came 
to  you  .  .  .  but,  Urasato  Sama,  what  is  the  matter  ? 
You  have  a  very  troubled  face  and  your  eyes  are 

*  O  is  the  honorific  placed  before  female  names  of  not  more 
than  two  syllables. 

I4I 


Urasato,  or  the  Crow  of  Dawn 

wet  with  tears  .  .  .  are  you  ill  ?  Look  here,  Midori, 
you  must  take  better  care  of  her  and  give  her  some 
medicine." 

"  I  wanted  her  to  take  some  medicine,"  said  Midori, 
"  but  she  said  she  would  not." 

"  I  have  always  disliked  medicine  and,  as  Midori 
tells  you,  I  refused  to  take  any.  I  don't  feel  well  to- 
day, O  Tatsu.  I  don't  know  why,  but  I  don't  even 
wish  to  have  the  comb  put  through  my  hair — so  I 
won't  have  my  hair  dressed  now,  O  Tatsu,  thank 
you." 

"  Oh,"  answered  O  Tatsu,  "  that  is  a  pity — your 
hair  needs  putting  straight — it  is  very  untidy  at  the 
sides  ;  let  me  comb  it  back  and  you  will  then  feel 
better  yourself,  too — " 

"  O  Tatsu,"  said  Urasato,  hopelessly  ;  "  you  say  so, 
but — even  if  the  gloom  that  weighs  down  my  spirit 
were  lifted  and  my  hair  done  up  and  put  straight  both 
would  fall  again,  and  knowing  this,  I  am  unhappy." 

"  Oh,"  replied  O  Tatsu,  "  the  loosened  hair-knot 
which  troubles  you  is  my  work — come  to  the  dressing- 
table  .  .  .  come  !  " 

Urasato  could  not  well  refuse  the  kindly  woman 
and  reluctantly  allowed  herself  to  be  persuaded.  She 
sat  down  in  front  of  the  mirror,  but  her  heart  was 
outside  the  fence  with  Tokijiro,  and  to  wait  till  the 
woman  had  done  her  work  was  a  torture  to  her. 

"  Listen  to  me,"  said  O  Tatsu,  as  she  took  her  stand 
behind  Urasato  and  with  deft  fingers  put  the  dis- 
ordered coiffure  to  rights,  "  people  cannot  understand 
142 


O  Tatsu  .  .  .  took  her  stand  behind  Urasato  and  with  deft  fingers  put  the 

disordered  coiffure  to  rights 


Urasato,  or  the  Crow  of  Dawn 

the  feelings  of  others  unless  they  have  themselves 
suffered  the  same  conditions.  Even  I,  in  past  times, 
was  not  quite  as  I  am  now.  It  seems  foolish  to  speak 
of  it,  but  I  always  feel  for  you.  If  you  deign  to  listen 
to  me  I  will  tell  you  my  story.  Even  such  an  ugly 
woman  as  I  am — there  is  a  proverb  you  know,  that 
says  '  Even  a  devil  at  eighteen  is  fascinating  '  (oni 
mo  juhachi) — has  had  her  day,  and  so  there  was  some- 
one who  loved  even  me,  and  he  is  now  my  husband," 
and  O  Tatsu  laughed  softly,  "  ho-ho-ho."  "Well, 
we  plighted  our  vows  and  loved  more  and  more  deeply. 
At  last  he  was  in  need  of  money  and  came  to  borrow 
it  of  me,  saying  '  Lend  me  two  buf9*  or  '  Lend  me 
three  bu  !  '  using  me  in  those  days  only  as  his  money- 
box. It  must  have  been  because  our  fate  was  deter- 
mined in  our  previous  life  that  I  did  not  give  him  up. 
I  let  things  go  because  I  loved  him.  Youth  does  not 
come  twice  in  a  life-time.  He  was  in  great  distress 
and  I  sold  all  my  clothes  to  help  him  till  my  tansu  f 
were  empty,  and  then  I  filled  them  with  his  love 
letters.  Things  came  to  such  a  pass  that  we  thought 
of  committing  suicide  together.  But  a  friend  who 
knew  what  we  were  about  to  do  stopped  us,  and  so 
we  are  alive  to  this  day.  But  things  have  changed 
since  then,  and  now,  when  there  is  some  small  trouble, 
my  husband  tells  me  he  will  divorce  me,  and  there  are 
times  when  I  feel  I  hate  him  and  don't  want  to  work 

*  One  bu  was  about  twenty-five  sen  in  those  days,  but  the 
equivalent  of  more  than  a  yen  in  the  present  currency, 
t  Tansu,  Japanese  chest  of  drawers. 

H3 


Urasato,  or  the  Crow  of  Dawn 

for  him  any  more.  There  is  a  proverb  that  '  the  love 
of  a  thousand  years  can  grow  cold,'  and  it  is  true. 
Experience  has  taught  me  this." 

"  O  Tatsu  Sama,"  answered  Urasato,  "  in  spite  of 
all  you  say,  I  have  no  one  to  love  me  in  this  wide 
world,  such  an  unfortunate  creature  as  I  am,  so  de- 
votedly as  you  loved  him." 

"  You  may  think  thus  now,"  said  O  Tatsu,  "  for 
you  have  reached  the  age  of  love's  prime.  I  know  that 
people  in  love's  despair  often  cut  short  their  own  lives, 
but  while  you  have  Midori  to  think  of  you  cannot,  you 
must  not,  commit  suicide.  Duty  and  love  exist  only 
while  there  is  life.  Oh  dear,  I  have  talked  so  much 
and  so  earnestly  that  I  have  forgotten  to  put  in  the 
tsuto-naoshi"  and  with  the  last  finishing  touches 
O  Tatsu  put  in  the  pincer-like  clasp  which  holds 
together  the  stray  hair  at  the  nape  of  the  neck. 

Urasato's  eyes  were  dry,  though  her  heart  was  full 
of  sympathy  and  sorrow  as  she  listened  to  O  Tatsu's 
kind  words  of  sympathy,  and  as  a  bedimmed  mirror 
so  was  her  soul  clouded  with  grief.  Midori,  touched 
by  the  sad  conversation,  dropped  tears  as  she  flitted 
about  over  the  mats,  putting  away  the  comb  box  here 
and  a  cushion  straight  there. 

"  Well,"  said  O  Tatsu,  as  she  bowed  to  the  ground 
and  took  her  leave,  "  I  am  going  yonder  to  the  house 
of  Adzumaya,  good-bye  !  "  and  with  these  words  she 
glided  down  the  stairs  and  went  out  by  the  side  door. 
Looking  back  as  she  did  so,  she  called  to  Midori : 

"  Look  here,  Midori,  I  am  going  out  by  the  side 
144 


Urasato,  or  the  Crow  of  Dawn 

gate  instead  of  by  the  kitchen — will  you  please  fasten 
it  after  me."  With  these  words  she  seized  the  as- 
tonished Tokijiro,  who  was  hiding  in  the  shadow, 
pushed  him  inside  and  shut  the  gate  (fiattari)  with  a 
snap.  With  an  unmoved  face  as  if  nothing  unusual 
had  occurred,  O  Tatsu  put  up  her  umbrella,  for  snow 
had  begun  to  fall,  lighted  her  little  lantern  and 
pattered  away  across  the  grounds  without  once  looking 
back. 

Thus,  through  the  compassionate  help  of  another, 
Tokijiro  was  at  last  enabled  to  enter  the  house.  He 
ran  upstairs  quickly,  and  entering  the  room,  caught 
hold  of  Urasato's  hand. 

"  Urasato !  I  cannot  bear  our  lot  any  longer. 
I  cannot  bear  to  live  away  from  you — at  last  I  am 
able  to  tell  you  how  I  long  to  die  with  you  since  we 
cannot  belong  to  each  other  any  longer.  But  if  we 
die  together  thus,  what  will  become  of  poor  little 
Midori.  What  misery — oh,  what  misery  !  No — no 
— I  have  it ;  you  shall  not  die — I  alone  will  die  ; 
but  oh  !   Urasato,  pray  for  the  repose  of  my  soul !  " 

"  That  would  be  too  pitiless,"  said  Urasato,  while 
the  tears  fell  like  rain  from  her  eyes,  "  if  you  die  to- 
night what  will  become  of  our  faithful  little  Midori 
and  myself  left  behind  ?  Let  parents  and  child  take 
hands  to-night  and  cross  the  river  of  death  together. 
We  will  not  separate  now,  oh,  no — no  !  Oh  !  Toki- 
jiro San !  you  are  too  cruel  to  leave  us  behind." 

Some  one  was  now  heard  calling  from  below. 

"  Urasato  Sama  !     Urasato  Sama  !  "  said   a  loud 

K  145 


Urasato,  or  the  Crow  of  Dawn 

harsh  voice,  "  come  downstairs — you  are  wanted 
quickly,  quickly — come  !  " 

Then  the  sound  of  a  woman's  feet  as  she  began  to 
ascend  the  stairs  reached  the  three  inmates  of  the 
room. 

Urasato's  heart  beat  wildly  and  then  seemed  to 
stop  with  fright.  Quick  as  a  flash  of  lightning  she 
hid  Tokijiro  in  the  kotatsu*  and  Midori,  with  her  usual 
quick-wittedness,  fetched  the  quilt  and  covered  him 
over.  Then  she  glided  to  the  other  side  of  the  room. 
All  this  was  the  work  of  a  moment. 

"  O  Kaya  San,"  said  Urasato, "  what  is  the  matter  ? 
What  are  you  making  such  a  fuss  about  ?  What  do 
you  want  with  me  now  ?  " 

"  Oh !  Urasato,"  answered  the  woman  as  she 
entered  the  room,  "  you  pretend  not  to  know  why  I 
call  you.  The  master  has  sent  for  you — Midori  is 
to  come  with  you — such  is  his  order  !  " 

Urasato  made  no  answer,  but  followed  O  Kaya,  who 
had  come  to  fetch  her.  Anxiety  for  Tokijiro  hidden 
in  the  kotatsu,  and  fear  concerning  what  the  sudden 
summons  might  mean  made  her  heart  beat  so  that 
she  knew  not  what  to  do.  Both  she  and  Midori  felt 
that  the  woman  was  like  a  torturing  devil  driving 
them  along  so  much  against  their  will — they  seemed 
to  feel  her  fierce  eyes  piercing  them  through  from 
behind. 

*  A  hearth  sunk  in  the  floor,  covered  with  a  grating  and  frame- 
work over  which  is  thrown  a  quilt  under  which  people  sit  to 
warm  themselves. 

146 


Urasato,  or  the  Crow  of  Dawn 

O  Kaya  led  them  across  the  garden  to  another  part 
of  the  house.  The  soft  twilight  had  been  succeeded 
by  a  dreary  night.  It  was  February  and  the  night 
wind  blew  sharp  and  chill — the  last  snow  of  winter 
weighed  down  the  bamboos  ;  while,  like  an  emblem 
of  courage  and  strength  in  the  midst  of  adversity, 
the  odour  of  early  plum  blossoms  hung  upon  the  air. 
Overcome  with  anxiety,  Urasato  felt  only  the  chill, 
and  fear  of  the  night  spread  through  her  whole  being. 
She  started  and  shivered  when  behind  her  Midori's 
clogs  began  to  echo  shrilly,  like  the  voices  of  malicious 
wood-sprites  in  the  trees  laughing  in  derision  at  her 
plight.  Her  heart  grew  thin  with  pain  and  foreboding. 
"  Karakong,"  "  karakong,"  sounded  the  clogs,  as  they 
scraped  along.  "  Ho,  ho,  ho  !  "  mocked  the  echoing 
sprites  from  the  bamboo  wood. 

They  reached  the  veranda  of  the  house  on  the 
other  side  of  the  quadrangle.  O  Kaya  pushed  open 
the  sboji,  disclosing  the  grizzled-headed  master, 
Kambei,  seated  beside  the  charcoal  brazier  looking 
fierce  and  angry.  When  Urasato  and  Midori  saw  him, 
their  heart  and  soul  went  out  with  fear  as  a  light  in 
a  sudden  blast. 

Urasato,  however,  calmed  herself,  and  sitting  down 
outside  the  room  on  the  veranda,  put  her  hands  to 
the  floor  and  bowed  over  them.  The  master  turned 
and  glared  at  her. 

"  Look  here,  Urasato,"  said  he,  "  I  have  nothing 
but  this  to  ask  you.  Has  that  young  rascal  Tokijiro 
asked  you  for  anything  out  of  this  house — tell  me  at 

H7 


Urasato,  or  the  Crow  of  Dawn 

once — is  such  the  case  ?     I  have  heard  so — tell  me 
the  truth  !  " 

Urasato,  frightened  as  she  was,  controlled  herself 
and  answered  quietly  : 

"  Such  are  the  master's  honourable  words,  but  I 
have  no  remembrance  of  anyone  asking  me  for  any- 
thing whatsoever." 

"  Um,"  said  the  master,  "  I  shan't  get  it  out  of  you 
so  easily  I  see,"  then  turning  to  O  Kaya,  he  said, 
"  Here,  O  Kaya,  do  as  I  told  you — tie  her  up  to 
the  tree  in  the  garden  and  beat  her  till  she  confesses." 

O  Kaya  rose  from  the  mats  and  catching  hold  of 
the  weeping  Urasato  dragged  her  up  and  untied  and 
pulled  off  her  girdle.  The  woman  then  carried  the 
slender  girl  into  the  garden  and  bound  her  up  with 
rope  to  a  rough-barked,  snow-covered  pine-tree,  which 
happened  to  be  just  opposite  Urasato's  room.  O 
Kaya,  lifting  a  bamboo  broom  threateningly,  said, 
"  Sa  !  Urasato,  you  won't  be  able  to  endure  this — 
therefore  make  a  true  confession  and  save  yourself. 
How  can  you  be  faithful  to  such  a  ghost  of  a  rascal 
as  Tokijiro  ?  I  have  warned  you  many  times,  but  in 
spite  of  all  advice  you  still  continue  to  meet  him  in 
secret.  Your  punishment  has  come  at  last — but  it  is 
not  my  fault,  so  please  do  not  bear  me  any  resent- 
ment. I  have  constantly  asked  the  master  to  pardon 
you.  To-night,  out  of  pity,  I  begged  him  to  let  you 
off,  but  he  would  not  listen.  There  is  no  help  for  it, 
I  must  obey  my  orders.  Come,  confess  before  you 
are  beaten  !  " 
148 


Urasato,  or  the  Crow  of  Dawn 

So  O  Kaya  scolded  and  entreated  Urasato ;  but 
Urasato  made  no  reply — she  only  wept  and  sobbed  in 
silence. 

"  You  are  an  obstinate  girl !  "  said  O  Kaya,  and 
she  lifted  the  broom  to  strike. 

Midori  now  rushed  forward  in  an  agony  of  distress 
and  tried  to  ward  off  the  blow  about  to  fall  on  her 
beloved  mistress.  O  Kaya  flung  the  child  away  with 
her  left  arm,  and  bringing  the  broom  down,  began  to 
beat  Urasato  mercilessly  till  her  dress  was  disarranged 
and  her  hair  fell  down  in  disorder  about  her  shoulders. 

Midori  could  bear  the  sight  no  longer.  She  became 
frantic,  and  running  to  the  wretched  Kambei,  lifted 
praying  hands  to  him  :  then  back  again  she  darted 
to  catch  hold  of  O  Kaya's  dress,  crying  out  to  both  : 
"  Please,  forgive  her ;  oh,  please,  forgive  her  !  Don't 
beat  her  so,  I  implore  you  !  " 

O  Kaya,  now  fully  exasperated,  seized  the  sobbing 
child. 

"  I  will  punish  you  too,"  and  tied  Midori's  hands 
behind  her  back. 

Tokijiro,  looking  down  from  the  balcony  of  Urasato's 
room,  had  been  a  distraught  and  helpless  spectator 
of  the  whole  scene  of  cruelty  in  the  garden.  He  could 
now  no  longer  restrain  himself  and  was  about  to  jump 
over  the  balcony  to  the  rescue.  But  Urasato  hap- 
pened at  that  moment  to  look  up  and  saw  what  he 
intended  doing.  She  shook  her  head  and  managed 
to  say,  unheard  by  the  others  : 

"  Ah  !    this,  for   you    to  come  out,  no,   no,  no  ! ' 

149 


Urasato,  or  the  Crow  of  Dawn 

Then,  as  O  Kaya  came  back  from  tying  up  Midori,  she 
quickly  added  to  her,  "  No,  I  mean  you  who  have 
tied  up  Midori,  you  must  be  pitying  her,  you  must  be, 

0  Kaya  San — but  in  the  presence  of  the  master  for 
that  reason  it  won't  do  !  It  won't  do  !  "  and  here  she 
spoke,  purposely,  incoherently  to  O  Kaya,  while  she 
signed  to  Tokijiro  with  her  eyes  that  he  must  not 
come  out — that  her  words  were  meant  for  him  under 
cover  of  being  addressed  to  O  Kaya. 

Tokijiro  knew  that  he  could  do  nothing — he  was 
utterly  powerless  to  help  Urasato,  and  if  he  obeyed  his 
first  impulse  and  jumped  down  into  the  garden  he 
would  only  make  matters  a  thousand  times  worse 
than  they  were,  so  he  went  back  to  the  kotatsu,  and 
bit  the  quilt  and  wept  with  impotent  rage. 

"  She  is  suffering  all  this  for  my  sake — oh  !  Urasato  ! 
oh!  oh!  oh!" 

Kambei  had  now  reached  Urasato's  side,  and 
catching  hold  of  her  by  the  hair,  said  in  a  big  voice, 
"  Does  not  your  heart  tell  you  why  you  are  so 
chastized  ?  It  is  ridiculous  that  Tokijiro  should  come 
in  search  of  the  kakemono  that  was  entrusted  to  me. 
Ha !  you  look  surprised.  You  see  I  know  all. 
Look  !     Isn't  the  picture  hanging  there  in  my  room  ? 

1  allow  no  one  so  much  as  to  point  a  finger  at  it — Sa  ! 
Urasato,  I  am  sure  Tokijiro  asked  you  to  get  him 
that — come — speak  the  truth  now  ?  " 

"  I  have  never  been  asked  to  steal  any  such  thing," 
answered  Urasato,  sobbing. 

"  Oh,  you  obstinate  woman — will  nothing  make  you 
150 


Urasato,  or  the  Crow  of  Dawn 

confess  ?  Here,  Midori — where  is  Tokijiro  ?  Tell  me 
that  first  .?  " 

"  I  don't  know,"  answered  Midori. 

"  There  is  no  reason  why  Midori  should  know  what 
you  ask,"  said  Urasato,  trying  to  shield  the  child. 

"  Midori  is  always  with  you,"  said  Kambei — "  and 
she  must  know,"  and  turning  to  Midori  he  struck  her, 
saying  :  "  Now  confess — where  is  Tokijiro  hiding 
now  ?  " 

"  Oh,  oh,  you  hurt  me,"  cried  the  child. 

"  Well,  confess  then,"  said  the  cruel  man,  "  then 
I  won't  hurt  you  any  more  !  " 

"  Oh  .  .  .  Urasato,"  cried  Midori,  turning  to  her — 
"  entreat  the  master  to  pardon  me — if  he  kills  me, 
before  I  die  I  can  never  meet  my  father  whom  I  have 


never  seen." 


Tokijiro,  upstairs  in  the  balcony,  heard  all  that  was 
going  on  and  murmured  : 

"  That  is,  indeed,  natural,  poor  child." 

But  Kambei,  unaware  that  he  was  heard  and  seen, 
beat  the  child  again  and  again. 

"  I  can't  make  out  what  you  say,  little  creature," 
he  screamed  with  rage.  "  You  shall  feel  the  weight 
of  this  tekki  *  then  we  shall  see  if  you  will  still  not 
answer  what  is  asked  you." 

Under  this  hell-like  torture  Midori  could  scarcely 
breathe.  The  poor  child  tried  to  crawl  away,  but 
as  she  was  bound  with  rope,  she  was  unable  to  do  so. 

*  Tekki,  the  tiny  metal  bars  which  form  the  top  of  the 
andirons  in  a  brazier. 

151 


Urasato,  or  the  Crow  of  Dawn 

The  cruel  man  once  more  caught  hold  of  her  roughly 
by  the  shoulder  and  began  to  beat  her  again.  At  last 
the  child  gave  a  great  cry  of  pain,  lost  consciousness, 
and  fell  back  as  though  dead. 

Kambei  was  now  alarmed  at  what  he  had  done, 
for  he  had  no  intention  of  killing  the  child — only  of 
making  her  tell  him  where  Tokijiro  was  living  or 
hiding.  He  stopped  beating  her  and  stood  on  one 
side,  angry  enough  at  being  thwarted  by  Urasato  and 
Midori. 

Urasato  raised  her  head  and  moaned  to  herself  as 
she  looked  at  the  prostrate  child. 

"  I  am  really  responsible  for  the  child's  suffering," 
she  said  to  herself — "  my  sin  is  the  cause  of  it  all ; 
forgive  me,  my  child — you  know  it  not,  but  I  am  your 
mother  ;  and  although  you  are  only  a  child  you  have 
understood  and  helped  me.  You  saw  that  I  was  in 
love  and  always  anxious  about  my  lover.  This  is 
from  a  fault  in  your  former  life  that  you  have  such 
a  mother — ah  !  this  is  all,  alas,  fruit  of  our  sins 
in  another  existence,"  and  Urasato's  tears  flowed  so 
fast  that,  like  spring  rain,  they  melted  the  snow  upon 
which  they  fell. 

O  Kaya  now  came  up  to  her,  saying, 

"  What  an  obstinate  creature  you  are !  If  you 
don't  confess  you  shall  wander  in  company  with  your 
child  to  the  Meido"  *  and  with  these  words  she  raised 
her  broom  to  strike. 

Hikoroku,  the  clerk  of  the  house,  now  came  running 

*  Meido,  Hades — the  abode  of  the  dead. 
152 


Urasato,  or  the  Crow  of  Dawn 

upon  the  scene.  He  had  fallen  in  love  with  Urasato 
and  had  often  pressed  his  suit  in  vain.  When  he  saw 
how  matters  stood  he  pushed  O  Kaya  away. 

"  You  are  not  to  help  Urasato  !  "  screamed  O  Kaya, 
angrily. 

"  Go  away,  go  away,"  said  Hikoroku,  "  this  punish- 
ment is  the  clerk's  work — though  I  am  only  a  humble 
servant,  however  humble  I  am  I  don't  need  your 
interference." 

Then  Hikoroku  turned  to  Kambei  and  said  apolo- 
getically. 

"  Excuse  me,  master,  I  have  something  to  say  to 
you ;  the  matter  is  this — that  dear  Urasato — no,  I 
mean  Midori  and  Urasato — I  never  forget  them,  oh, 
no,  no  !  I  know  their  characters — they  are  good- 
hearted.  This  punishment  is  the  clerk's  work.  If 
you  will  only  leave  Urasato  to  me  I  shall  be  able  to 
make  her  confess.  I  am  sure  I  can  manage  her.  If 
you  will  make  me  responsible  for  making  Urasato 
confess,  I  shall  be  grateful." 

Kambei  nodded  his  head,  he  was  already  tired, 
and  said  : 

"  Um — I  would  not  allow  anyone  else  to  do  this; 
but  as  I  trust  you  Hikoroku,  I  will  let  you  do  it  for 
a  while  ;  without  fail  you  must  make  her  confess, 
I  will  rest," — and  with  these  words  he  went  into  the 
house,  intending  to  put  the  blame  on  Hikoroku  if  his 
regulation  suffered  because  of  his  treatment  of 
Urasato. 

Hikoroku  accompanied  his  master  to  the  house  and 

153 


Urasato,  or  the  Crow  of  Dawn 

bowed  low  as  he  entered.  He  then  came  back  to 
Urasato. 

"  Did  you  hear  what  the  master  said  ?  Did  he  not 
say  that  he  would  not  entrust  this  to  anyone  else  but 
me — only  to  me — Hikoroku — don't  you  see  what  a 
fine  fellow  I  am  ?  If  only  you  had  listened  to  me 
before  you  need  never  have  suffered  so — I  would  have 
helped  you,  Urasato  San  !  Perhaps  you  suspect  me 
as  being  to  blame  for  all  this ;  but  no — indeed,  I  am 
not — you  and  I  are  living  in  another  world.  Will 
you  not  listen  to  me — Urasato  San  ? — but  oh  ! — you 
have  a  different  heart — oh  !  what  am  I  to  do  ?  "  and 
he  placed  his  hands  palm  to  palm  and  lifted  them 
despairingly  upwards  to  Urasato,  shaking  them  up 
and  down  in  supplication. 

O  Kaya  had  been  listening  to  Hikoroku,  for  she  was 
in  love  with  him  herself  and  was  always  jealous  of  the 
attention  he  paid  to  Urasato.  She  now  came  up 
and  said,  as  she  shrugged  her  shoulders  from  side  to 
side  :  "  Now  Hikoroku  Sama — what  are  you  doing  ? 
What  are  you  saying  ?  Notwithstanding  your  pro- 
mise to  the  master  to  make  Urasato  confess,  you  are 
now  talking  to  her  in  this  way.  Whenever  you  see 
Urasato  you  always  act  like  this  without  thinking 
of  me  or  my  feelings  for  you.  I  am  offended — I  can't 
help  it !  You  will  probably  not  get  her  to  confess 
after  all.     Well — I  will  take  your  place,  so  go  away  !  " 

As  O  Kaya  came  up  to  Hikoroku  he  pushed  her 
away,  saying  : 

"  No,  never !     You  shall  not  hurt  her — this  is  not 

154 


Urasato,  or  the  Crow  of  Dawn 

your  business — the  master  has  entrusted  it  to  me. 
As  for  you,  it  is  ridiculous  that  you  should  love  me. 
How  ugly  you  are  !  Ugh  ! — your  face  is  like  a 
lion's.  Are  you  not  ashamed.  Before  the  master 
I  have  no  countenance  left  when  I  think  of  what  you 
say  to  me.  Now  then — go  away  O  Kaya — I  am  going 
to  untie  poor  Urasato  !  " 

O  Kaya  tried  to  push  Hikoroku  away.  Hikoroku 
took  up  the  broom  and  beat  her  without  caring  how 
much  he  hurt  her.  Mercilessly  did  he  continue  to 
beat  her  till  she  was  overcome  and,  falling  down  on 
the  snow,  lay  stunned  for  some  time  to  come. 

Having  thus  got  rid  of  O  Kaya,  Hikoroku  quickly 
released  Urasato  and  Midori.  As  he  lifted  the  child 
up  she  opened  her  eyes. 

"  Ya,  ya  !     Are  you  still  there,  mother  ?  " 

Did  Midori  know  that  Urasato  was  her  mother, 
or  on  returning  to  consciousness  was  it  instinct  or 
affection  that  made  her  use  the  tender  name  ? 

When  she  heard  Midori's  voice,  Urasato  felt  that 
she  must  be  in  a  dream,  for  she  had  feared  that  the 
child  had  been  killed  by  Kambei's  beating. 

"  Are  you  still  alive  ?  "  she  exclaimed,  and  caught 
the  child  in  her  arms  while  tears  of  joy  fell  down  her 
pale  cheeks. 

Hikoroku  looked  on  with  a  triumphant  face,  for  he 
was  pleased  at  what  he  had  done. 

"  Urasato  Sama,  you  must  run  away,  and  now  that 
I  have  saved  you  both  I  can't  stay  here.  I,  too,  shall 
be  tied  up  and  punished  for  this.     I  shall  run  away, 

155 


Urasato,  or  the  Crow  of  Dawn 

too  !  Well,  it  is  certainly  better  to  escape  with  you 
than  to  remain  here.  Let  us  flee  together  now. 
Come  with  me.  I  must  get  my  purse,  however,  before 
I  go.  Please  wait  here  till  I  come  back  with  my  small 
savings — then  I  can  help  you  ;  don't  let  anyone  find 
you,"  and  without  waiting  for  Urasato's  answer 
Hikoroku  ran  into  the  house. 

Urasato  and  Midori  stood  clasping  each  other  under 
the  pine  tree.  They  were  shaking  with  cold  and 
fatigue  and  pain.  Suddenly  a  sound  made  them 
look  up.  Tokijiro  suddenly  stood  before  them.  He 
had  climbed  out  on  to  the  roof,  and  walking  round 
the  quadrangle,  had  reached  the  spot  where 
they  stood  and  then  let  himself  down  by  the 
pine-tree.     When  the  two  saw  him  they  started  for 

"  Oh,"  said  Urasato,  scarcely  able  to  make  herself 
heard,  "  how  did  you  get  here,  Tokijiro  ?  " 

"  Hush,"  said  Tokijiro,  "  don't  speak  so  loudly.  I 
have  heard  and  seen  all — oh  !  my  poor  Urasato,  it 
has  caused  me  much  pain  to  think  that  you  have 
suffered  so  much  because  of  me  ;  but  in  the  midst 
of  all  this  misery  there  is  one  thing  over  which  we  can 
rejoice.  As  soon  as  I  heard  what  Kambei  said  about 
the  kakemono  I  crept  downstairs  and  into  the  room 
he  pointed  out,  and  there  I  found  my  lord's  long-lost 
picture.  Look,  here  it  is  !  I  have  it  safe  at  last. 
The  very  one  drawn  by  Kanaoka.  Someone  must 
have  stolen  it.  I  am  saved  at  last — I  am  thankful. 
I  shall  be  received  back  into  my  lord's  service — I  owe 

i56 


Urasato,  or  the  Crow  of  Dawn 

this  to  you,  and  I  shall  never  forget  it  as  long  as  I 
live." 

Footsteps  were  heard  approaching,  Tokijiro  hid 
himself  behind  a  post  of  the  gate.  He  was  only  just 
in  time. 

Hikoroku  came  stumbling  along  across  the  garden 
from  the  other  side  of  the  house. 

"  Here,  here,  Urasato  San,  we  can  now  fly  together — 
I  have  got  my  money — we  can  get  out  by  the  gate. 
Wait  another  moment,  I  will  steal  in  and  get  the 
picture  for  you." 

As  soon  as  Hikoroku  had  gone  again  Tokijiro  rushed 
forward,  and  seizing  Urasato  and  Midori  by  the  hand, 
hurried  them  out  of  the  garden.  Once  outside  they 
felt  that  they  had  escaped  from  the  horror  and  death 
of  the  tiger's  mouth. 

Hikoroku,  not  being  able  to  find  the  picture, 
hastened  back  to  the  spot  where  he  had  left  Urasato, 
when  he  ran  into  O  Kaya,  who  had  recovered  con- 
sciousness, and  now  picked  herself  up  from  the 
ground  somewhat  bewildered  and  wondering  what 
had  happened. 

"  Are  you  Hikoroku  ?  Are  you  Hikoroku  ?  "  she 
exclaimed,  and  caught  him  in  her  arms. 

Catching  sight  of  her  face,  Hikoroku  cried  out  with 
disgust  and  horror. 

"Ya!  Avaunt  evil !     Avaunt  devil !  " 

The  three  fugitives  outside  the  gate  heard  Hiko- 
roku's  exclamation.  Tokijiro  caught  up  Midori  and 
put  her  on  his  back.     Then  he  and  Urasato  taking 

157 


Urasato,  or  the  Crow  of  Dawn 

each  other  by  the  hand  ran  away  as  fast  as  they  could. 
The  dawn  began  to  break  and  the  birds  to  sing  as  they 
left  the  dread  place  behind  them.  From  far  and  near 
the  crows  began  to  wing  their  way  across  the  morning 
sky. 

Hitherto  the  crow  of  dawn  had  parted  them — it  now 
united  them.  Thinking  of  this,  Tokijiro  and  Urasato 
looked  at  each  other  with  eyes  brimming  over  with 
tears,  yet  shining  with  the  light  of  new-born  hope. 


i58 


Tsubosaka 


A  story  of  Faith  in  Kwannon,  the 
Manifestation  of  Mercy  (popularly 
known  as  the  Goddess  of  Mercy) 


N.B. — The  Amida  Buddha  of  the  Shinshu  sects  of  Japanese 
Buddhism  is  the  only  Deity,  and  the  Original  and  the  Un- 
originated  Buddha,  Lord  of  Boundless  Life  and  Light.  Amida 
promises  to  all,  who  with  full  trust  and  confidence  draw  near 
and  invoke  His  name,  the  safe  Heaven  of  freedom  from  sin 
and  evil. 

KWANNON  is  the  Embodiment  of  Amida's  Compassion, 
capable  of  manifestation  in  many  shapes  for  purposes  of 
practical  succour.  He  is  never  manifested  except  for  a  suffer- 
ing creation. 

The  late  Professor  Lloyd  says  that  it  is  a  mistake  to  speak 
of  Kwannon  as  a  female  deity,  that  he  is  the  son  of  Amida, 
capable  of  appearing  in  many  forms,  male  or  female,  human 
or  animal,  according  to  circumstances. 

See  "  Shinran  and  his  Work  "  (Lloyd,  p.  21). 


Tsubosaka 


The  shrine  of  Tsubosaka,  where  this  popular  story  is 
placed,  has  been  celebrated  for  answers  to  prayers 
from  ancient  times.  Tradition  relates  that  when  the 
fiftieth  Emperor  Kwammu  lived  in  the  capital  of 
Nara,  he  was  smitten  with  eye  trouble.  The  head 
priest,  Doki  Shonin,  of  the  Tsubosaka  shrine  offered 
up  prayers  to  Kwanhon,  the  Manifestation  of  Mercy, 
for  one  hundred  and  seven  days  for  the  Emperor's  re- 
covery. The  prayer  was  efficacious  and  His  Majesty's 
sight  was  restored.  Since  that  time  Tsubosaka  has 
been  known  as  a  holy  place  to  which  pilgrims  journey 
to  pray  for  blessings  and  especially  for  health  in  time 

of  illness. 

IN  a  certain  village  in  the  province  of  Yamato  in 
Japan,  close   by  the   hill  of   Tsubo,  there  lived 
a  blind    man    named    Sawaichi    and    his    wife, 
O  Sato. 
Sawaichi  was  a  honest,  good-natured  fellow,  who 
earned  a  bare  living  by  giving  lessons  on  the  koto  * 
and  s  amis  en. \ 

O  Sato  was  a  faithful  loving  woman,  who  by  washing 
and  sewing,  and  such  odd  work,  earned  many  an  honest 
penny  towards  the  maintenance  of  their  poor  little 
home. 

For  some  time  things  had  not  gone  well  with  the 
couple  ;  they  were  growing  poorer  and  poorer,  and  even 
the  joyful  singing  of  birds,  and  the  sound  of  the  temple 

*  The  Japanese  harp.  f  The  Japanese  banjo. 

L  161 


Tsubosaka 


bell,  near  by,  emphazised  their  own  wretchedness,  and 
filled  their  souls  with  melancholy. 

One  morning  Sawaichi  got  out  his  s  amis  en,  and 
striking  some  chords,  began  to  play. 

"  Oh,  Sawaichi  San,  what  are  you  doing  ?  '  said 
O  Sato,  "  I  am  glad  to  see  that  you  feel  in  better 
spirits  to-day.  It  is  good  to  hear  you  play  the 
s  amis  en  again,"  and  she  aughed  as  cheerfully  as  she 
could. 

"  Oh,  oh,  O  Sato,  do  I  look  as  if  I  were  playing  the 
samisen  for  amusement  ?  Indeed,  I  am  in  no  such 
mood.  I  am  so  depressed  that  I  wish  I  could  die. 
Nay,  I  am  so  choked  with  trouble  that  I  feel  as 
if  I  were  going  to  die.  Now,  O  Sato,  I  have 
something  to  say  that  I  have  been  brooding  over 
for  a  long  time,  so  please  sit  down  and  listen  to 
me." 


O  Sato  sank  softly  on  the  mats  near  Sawaichi,  and 
as  she  looked  at  the  blind  man,  trying  tenderly  and 
carefully  to  divine  what  was  troubling  him,  she  saw 
that  he  was  unusually  moved,  and  the  tears  of  pity 
rose  to  her  eyes. 

Sawaichi  cleared  his  throat,  after  waiting  for  a 
moment,  and  then  went  on  : 

"  How  rapid  is  the  passing  of  time.  The  proverb  is 
true  that  '  Time  flies  like  an  arrow.'  Three  years 
have  passed  since  our  marriage,  and  I  have  meant 
to  ask  you  this  many  times,  O  Sato  !  Why  do  you 
hide  your  secret  from  me  so  long  ?  We  have  been 
betrothed  since  our  youth  upward,  and  we  know  each 
162 


Tsubosaka 


other  well.  There  is  no  need  of  secrecy  between  us. 
Why  not  tell  me  your  secret  frankly  ?  " 

O  Sato  stared  at  him  helplessly.  She  could  not 
in  the  least  understand  what  was  the  meaning 
of  these  mysterious  words.  At  last  she  said,  hesita- 
tingly : 

"  Whatever  is  the  matter  with  you  to-day,  Sawaichi 
San  ?  What  are  you  talking  about  ?  I  don't  in  the 
least  understand.  In  the  whole  of  our  married  life  I 
have  never  had  any  secret  to  keep  from  you.  If 
you  find  anything  in  me  that  does  not  please  you,  tell 
me,  and  I  will  try  to  mend.  Is  not  this  the  way 
between  husband  and  wife  ?  " 

"  Well,  then,"  said  Sawaichi,  "  I  will  tell  you  all 
since  you  ask  me." 

"  Tell  me  everything,"  said  O  Sato,  "  whatever  it  is 
that  is  troubling  you.  I  cannot  bear  to  think  that 
you  are  unhappy,"  and  she  drew  closer  to  her  poor 
blind  husband. 

"  Oh,  oh,  O  Sato,  I  will  tell  you  all — I  cannot  bear 
it  longer.  It  hurts  me.  Listen  carefully  !  We  have 
been  married  just  three  years  now.  Every  night  be- 
tween three  and  four  o'clock  I  awake,  and  stretch  out 
my  arms  to  you  as  you  he  in  your  bed,  but  I  have 
never  been  able  to  find  you,  not  even  once.  I  am  only 
a  poor  blind  fellow  and  smallpox  has  disfigured  me 
hopelessly.  It  is  quite  natural  that  you  cannot  love 
such  an  ugly  creature  as  myself.  I  do  not  blame  you 
for  this.  But  if  you  will  only  tell  me  plainly  that  you 
love  another,  I  will  not  be  angry  with  you,  only  tell 

163 


Tsubosaka 


me  !  I  have  often  heard  people  say,  '  O  Sato  is  a 
beautiful  woman  !  '  It  is,  therefore,  natural  that  you 
should  have  a  lover.  I  am  resigned  to  my  fate  and 
shall  not  be  jealous,  therefore  tell  me  the  truth — it 
will  be  a  relief  to  know  it." 

It  was  a  pitiful  sight  to  see  the  afflicted  man,  for 
though  he  spoke  quietly  and  with  evident  resignation, 
yet  the  despair  in  his  heart  caused  the  tears  to  over- 
flow his  sightless  eyes. 

O  Sato  could  not  bear  to  see  her  husband  racked 
by  these  terrible  doubts.  His  words  pierced  her  heart 
with  pain.     She  clung  to  him  sorrowfully. 

"  Oh,  Sawaichi  San  !  how  cruel  your  suspicions  are! 
However  low  and  mean  I  may  be,  do  you  think  that 
I  am  the  kind  of  woman  to  leave  you  for  another  man  ? 
You  are  too  unjust  to  say  such  things.  As  you  know, 
my  father  and  mother  died  when  I  was  a  child,  and 
my  uncle,  your  father,  brought  us  up  together.  You 
were  just  three  years  older  than  I.  While  we  were 
thus  growing  up  as  boy  and  girl  together,  you  took 
smallpox  and  became  blind,  alas  !  and  your  mis- 
fortunes accumulating,  you  were  reduced  to  poverty. 
But  even  so,  once  betrothed,  I  will  go  through  fire 
and  water  with  you,  and  nothing  shall  ever  part  us. 
Not  only  do  I  feel  that  we  are  united  till  death,  but 
it  has  been  my  one  great  hope  to  cure  your  blindness. 
To  this  end,  ever  since  we  were  wedded,  I  have  risen 
with  the  dawn  and  left  the  room  stealthily,  not  wishing 
to  disturb  you.  Thinking  nothing  of  the  steep 
mountain  road,  I  have  climbed  to  the  top  of  Tsubosaka 
164 


Tsubosaka 


every  morning  before  it  was  light  to  pray  to  Kwannon 
Sama  to  restore  your  sight.  Lately  I  have  felt  dis- 
appointed with  Kwannon  Sama,  for  my  prayer  is 
never  answered,  though  I  have  prayed  earnestly  for 
three  years,  rising  before  the  dawn  to  climb  to 
her  temple  on  the  hill.  Knowing  nothing  of  all 
this  you  condemn  me  as  being  faithless  to  you.  It 
makes  me  angry,  Sawaichi  San  !  "  and  here  poor  O 
Sato  burst  into  tears  and  sobbed  aloud. 

Sawaichi  realized  how  false  his  suspicions  had  been, 
and  how  unworthy  they  were  of  his  devoted  wife. 
At  first  he  could  not  speak  but  stammered  pitifully. 
At  last  he  found  his  voice  and  burst  out : 

"  Oh,  my  wife,  my  wife  !  I  will  say  nothing  more. 
I  have  talked  nonsense  like  the  poor  blind  fellow  that 
I  am.  Forgive  me,  forgive  me  !  How  could  I  know 
what  was  in  your  heart  ?  "  and  here  he  joined  his 
hands  together,  raising  them  in  a  gesture  of  entreaty, 
and  then,  with  his  sleeve,  wiped  away  the  tears  from 
his  eyes. 

"  Ah — no,  no — not  this  !  Do  not  ask  pardon  of 
your  own  wife,  it  is  too  much  !  "  said  O  Sato,  in  dis- 
tress. "  I  can  face  even  death  if  your  doubts  are 
dispelled." 

"  The  more  you  say,  the  more  I  am  ashamed  before 
you.  Though  you  pray  so  earnestly,  O  Sato,  my  eyes 
will  never  recover  their  sight." 

"  What  are  you  saying  ?  Oh  !  what  are  you  say- 
ing ?  "  exclaimed  O  Sato.  "  It  is  only  for  you  that 
I  have  borne  all  this,  walking  barefoot  to  the  Shrine 

165 


Tsubosaka 


of  Kwannon  Sama  every  day  for  three  years,  thinking 
nothing  of  the  wind  or  snow  or  frosts  these  wintry 
dawns." 

"  I  am,  indeed,  grateful  to  you  for  your  devotion. 
But  as  I  harboured  suspicions  of  you  for  a  long  time, 
thinking  evil  of  your  good,  even  if  I  pray,  my  prayers 
to  Kwannon  can  only  be  rewarded  by  punishment, 
and  my  eyesight  will  never  be  restored." 

"  No,  no,  Sawaichi  San,  do  not  say  such  things," 
answered  O  Sato.  "  My  body  is  the  same  as  your 
body.  Talk  nonsense  no  more,  but  control  your  mind 
with  firmness  and  come  with  me  to  Kwannon  Sama 
and  let  us  pray  together." 

Sawaichi  rose  from  the  mats,  the  tears  falling  from 
his  eyes. 

"  Oh,  my  good  wife,  I  am  indeed  grateful  to  you. 
If  you  are  so  determined  I  will  follow.  It  is  said  that 
the  grace  of  Buddha  can  make  a  dead  tree  to  blossom. 
My  eyes  are  like  a  dead  tree  .  .  .  oh,  oh,  if  only  they 
might  blossom  into  sight !  But  though  I  am  a  great 
sinner  .  .  .  who  knows  ?  Perhaps  in  the  next  world  ? 
.  .      Now  my  wife,  lead  me  as  ever  by  the  hand  !  " 

O  Sato  busied  herself  opening  the  tansu  and  getting 
out  Sawaichi's  best  clothes.  She  helped  him  to  change, 
speaking  encouraging  words  the  while.  Then  they 
set  out  together  and  climbed  the  steep  ascent  of  Tsubo- 
saka, Sawaichi  leaning  on  the  staff  in  his  right  hand. 

The  couple  at  last  reached  the  temple,  breathless 
after  the  hard  climb. 

"  Here  we  are,  Sawaichi  San,"  said  O  Sato,  "  we 
1 66 


Tsubosaka 


have  come  to  the  temple,  we  are  now  before  the  gate 
.  .  .  though  prayer  and  devotion  are  important  in  the 
recovery  of  health,  they  say  illness  is  often  due  to 
nerves.  If  you  allow  yourself  to  be  so  low-spirited, 
your  eyes  will  only  grow  worse.  Therefore,  at  such 
a  time,  how  would  it  be  for  you  to  sing  some  song  to 
cheer  yourself  ?  " 

"  Yes,  yes,  O  Sato,  as  you  say,  anxious  brooding 
over  my  troubles  is  not  good  for  my  eyes.  I  will  sing 
some  song." 

Then  beating  time  with  his  stick  tapping  the  ground, 
he  began  to  hum  : 

"  Chin  —  chin  —  tsu  :  chin  —  chin  :  tsu  —  chin  — 
chin — tsu,"  tinkling  in  imitation  of  the  samisen. 

Sawaichi  cleared  his  throat  and  began  to  sing  : 

Is  suffering  the  cause  of  love  ? 
Or  love  the  cause  of  suffering  ? 
My  love  must  vanish  like  the  dew  .  .  . 

A  tta  ...  ta  ...  tii  ... 

The  words  of  the  song  were  suddenly  broken  by  a 
cry  of  pain  as  Sawaichi  entered  the  gate  of  the  temple 
and  tripped  on  a  stone. 

"  Oh,  dear,  I  nearly  fell  over  that  stone  ...  I  have 
forgotten  the  rest  of  the  song  .  .  .  what  does  it  matter 
now  .  .  .  ho — ho — ho,"  and  he  laughed  to  himself 
strangely  and  softly. 

They  had  by  this  time  come  to  the  main  temple 
and  stood  outside,  O  Sato  gazing  at  the  altar  where 
Amida  Buddha  and  Kwannon,  the  Manifestation  of 

167 


Tsubosaka 


Mercy,  reigned  above  the  lotus  flowers  in  the  fragrant 
mists  of  incense. 

"  Sawaichi  San,  we  have  now  come  to  Kwannon 
Sama." 

"  Oh,  indeed  !  Are  we  already  there  ?  "  answered 
Sawaichi,  "  how  grateful  I  am  !  "  then  turning  his 
sightless  face  towards  the  altar  he  lifted  beseeching 
hands,  and  bowing  his  head  reverently,  he  repeated 
the  Buddhist  invocation  : 

"  Namu  Amida  Butsu  !  Natnu  Amida  Dai  Butsu  !  " 
(All  hail,  Great  Buddha  !) 

"  Listen,  Sawaichi,"  said  O  Sato,  earnestly,  "  this 
night  let  us  stay  together  here  and  pray  through 
the  night  without  ceasing." 

Then  they  both  began  to  pray.  The  chanting  of 
their  supplication  rose  up  clearly  in  the  stillness  of  the 
evening  hour,  and  it  seemed  as  if  the  sand  of  Tsubosaka 
might  become  the  golden  streets  of  Paradise. 

Suddenly  Sawaichi  stopped  and  clutched  hold  of  his 
wife. 

"  O  Sato,"  he  said,  "  I  must  tell  you  the  truth. 
I  cannot  believe.  I  came  simply  because  it  was  your 
wish.  But  I  shall  never  recover  my  sight,  of  that  I 
feel  sure." 

"  Why  do  you  say  such  sad  things  ?  "  answered  O 
Sato,  clasping  her  hands.  "  Listen !  When  the 
Emperor  Kwammu  was  in  Nara,  the  ancient  capital, 
he  suffered  with  his  eyes  as  you  do.  Then  he  prayed 
to  Kwannon  Sama  and  in  a  short  time  he  was  healed. 
Therefore,  pray  without  ceasing.  Kwannon  will  make 
1 68 


Sawaichi,  turning  his  sightless  face  towards  the  altar,  repeated  the 
Buddhist  invocation  :    "  Namu  Amida  Butsu  " 


O 


^v. 


Tsubosaka 


no  difference  between  the  Emperor  and  ourselves, 
though  we  are  as  poor  as  worms.  Believers  must  be 
patient  and  go  forward  slowly,  and  with  quiet  minds 
trust  devoutly  in  the  mercy  of  Kwannon.  So  great 
is  his  benevolence  that  He  hears  all  prayers.  Worship  ! 
Pray !  Sawaichi  San  !  Pray !  instead  of  wasting 
time  in  vain  talk." 

Thus  did  O  Sato  encourage  her  husband.  Sawaichi 
nodded  his  head  and  replied  : 

"  What  you  say  is  convincing.  From  to-night  I 
will  fast  for  three  days.  You  must  return  home, 
shut  up  the  house  and  come  again.  The  next 
three  days  will  decide  my  fate,  whether  I  recover  or 
not." 

"  Oh,"  said  O  Sato,  joyfully,  "  now  you  speak  wisely. 
I  will  go  back  at  once  and  arrange  everything  for  a 
three  days'  absence.  But,"  she  added  anxiously, 
"  Sawaichi  San,  remember  that  this  mountain  is  very 
steep,  and  higher  up  one  comes  to  the  top,  which  falls 
on  the  right  into  a  deep  precipice.  On  no  account 
must  you  leave  the  temple  !  " 

"  Oh,  no,  never  fear,  I  will  put  my  arms  round 
Kwannon  to-night — ho,  ho,  ho  !  "  and  he  laughed  to 
himself. 

O  Sato,  never  dreaming  of  what  was  in  her  husband's 
mind,  hurried  homewards,  blissfully  content,  thinking 
that  her  yearning  hopes  were  realized  and  that  he  at 
last  believed. 

Sawaichi  listened  to  her  retreating  footsteps.  Wlien 
he  could  hear  them  no  more,  he  knew  himself  to  be 

169 


Tsubosaka 


alone.  He  fell  flat  to  the  earth  and  cried  aloud  in  the 
bitterness  and  darkness  of  his  soul. 

"  Oh  !  my  wife,  you  will  never  know  how  grateful 
I  am  to  you  for  all  your  devotion  to  me  these  long 
years.  Though  gradually  reduced  to  the  straits  of 
poverty,  you  have  never  once  lost  sympathy  with  me. 
You  have  faithfully  loved  such  a  miserable  blind 
wretch  as  myself.  Alas  !  knowing  nothing  of  what 
was  in  your  heart  I  even  doubted  your  fidelity.  For- 
give me,  O  Sato.  Forgive  me  !  If  we  part  now  we 
may  never  meet  again.     Oh,  the  pity  of  it !  " 

Sawaichi  lay  on  the  ground  and  gave  vent  to  the 
pent-up  misery  in  his  heart.  After  a  few  minutes  he 
raised  a  despairing  face  and  said  aloud  : 

"  I  will  not  grieve  any  more.  O  Sato  has  prayed 
devoutly  for  three  years,  and  yet  Kwannon  gives  no 
sign  of  hearing  her  supplication.  What  is  the  use  of 
living  any  longer  ?  There  is  only  one  thing  I  can  do 
to  show  my  gratitude  to  you,  O  Sato !  and  that  is  to 
die  and  set  you  free.  May  you  live  long,  O  Sato  ! 
and  make  a  happy  second  marriage  !  Now,  I  re- 
member that  O  Sato  told  me  that  there  was  a  deep 
precipice  on  the  right  at  the  top  of  the  hill.  That  is 
the  best  place  for  me  to  die.  If  I  die  in  this  holy 
place,  I  may  hope  to  be  saved  in  the  next  world. 
Lucky  it  is  that  the  night  is  far  gone,  and  that  there 
is  no  one  about  .  .  .  oh,  oh  !  " 

With  these  words  Sawaichi  rose  to  his  feet.  The 
temple  bell,  the  last  before  the  dawn,  rang  out  in  the 
silence.     Sawaichi  knew  that  there  was  no  time  to 


170 


Tsubosaka 


lose.  Groping  his  way  with  his  stick  he  hastened  to 
the  top  of  the  hill.  Stopping  to  listen,  he  heard  the 
sound  of  distant  water  flowing  in  the  valley  beneath. 
In  his  distraught  state  of  mind  it  sounded  to  him  like  a 
call  from  Buddha.  With  the  prayer  "  Namu  Amida 
Butsu  !  "  on  his  lips,  he  planted  his  stick  on  the  edge 
of  the  hill,  and  with  a  desperate  leap  threw  himself 
out  as  far  as  he  could  over  the  side  of  the  abyss. 
For  a  few  moments  the  sound  of  the  body  crashing 
through  the  trees  and  undergrowth  was  heard  as  it 
fell  in  its  progress  of  increasing  impetus  down  the 
precipice  :  gradually  growing  fainter  and  fainter,  the 
noise  at  last  altogether  ceased  ;  then  all  was  still  on 
the  lonely  mountain  side. 


Knowing  nothing  of  all  this,  O  Sato  was  hurrying 
back  to  her  husband,  slipping  and  stumbling  along  the 
familiar  road  in  her  anxiety  to  get  to  him  quickly. 
At  last  she  reached  the  temple  and  looked  round 
eagerly.     Sawaichi  was  nowhere  to  be  seen. 

"  Sawaichi  San !  "  she  called  again  and  again. 
"  Sawaichi  San  !  " 

Receiving  no  answer  to  her  repeated  cries  she  hunted 
round  the  temple  courtyard,  but  with  no  result. 
Becoming  fearful  of  what  might  have  befallen  him, 
she  called  louder  than  before  : 

"  Sawaichi  San  !     Sawaichi  San  !  " 

Running  distractedly  from  the  temple  precincts,  she 
hastened  to  the  crest  of  the  hill,  and  there  she  tripped 

171 


Tsubosaka 


over  her  husband's  stick.  She  now  knew  what  he  had 
done.  Frantically  she  rushed  to  the  precipice  and 
gazed  far  down  into  the  abyss  beneath.  There  in  the 
grey  light  of  the  breaking  dawn  she  could  see  the 
lifeless  form  of  her  husband  stretched  upon  the 
ground. 

"Oh!  what  shall  I  do  ?  This  is  too  dreadful !  " 
she  cried  aloud  in  her  anguish.  Her  body  trembled 
in  a  paroxysm  of  pain.  She  called  to  her  husband, 
but  only  the  mountain  echoes  answered  her. 

"  Oh,  my  husband,  my  husband  !  You  are  too 
cruel — too  cruel !  Only  with  the  hope  of  saving  you 
from  blindness  did  I  persevere  in  prayer  for  so  long 
to  Kwannon  Sama.  Alas  !  what  will  become  of  me, 
now  that  you  have  left  me  alone  ?  Now  I  remember 
there  was  something  strange  in  your  manner  when  you 
sang  that  sad  song  coming  up  the  hill.  It  may  be  that 
you  had  already  made  up  your  mind  to  die.  But 
how  could  I  know  ?  Oh  !  Sawaichi  San,  if  only  I 
had  known  I  would  never  have  persuaded  you  to  come 
to  this  place.  Forgive  me,  oh,  forgive  me  !  There  is 
no  such  miserable  woman  in  the  world  as  myself. 
No  one  but  God  could  know  that  Death  would  separate 
us  now.  Blind  man  as  you  are,  who  cannot  see  in 
this  world,  how  will  you  travel  alone  amidst  the  dark 
shadows  down  the  road  of  Death  ?  Who  will  lead 
you  by  the  hand  now  ?  I  feel  as  if  I  could  see  you 
wandering  and  groping  there  all  by  yourself." 

Heartbrokenly  she  sobbed  for  some  time.  At  last 
she  shook  herself  with  resolution  ;  then  raised  her 
172 


■ 


There  in  the  grey  light  of  the  breaking  dawn  she  could  see  the  lifeless  form 
of  her  husband  stretched  upon  the  ground 


Tsubosaka 


tear-stained  faee  to  the  seemingly  unresponsive 
heaven  above. 

"  Oh,  oh,  I  will  lament  no  more.  Everything  that 
happens  in  this  life  is  the  result  of  sin  and  affinity 
in  our  previous  state  of  existence.  I  will  die  too, 
and  join  Sawaichi  in  death." 

With  clasped  hands  she  repeated  the  Buddhist 
prayer,  "  Namu  Amida  Buisu"  and  then,  gathering 
all  her  strength  for  the  fatal  leap,  sprang  over  the 
precipice  and  was  gone. 

#  #  #  #  # 

The  February  morning  broke  clear  and  bright. 
Nor  in  the  temple  nor  on  the  hillside  was  there  any 
trace  of  the  pitiful  tragedy  that  had  taken  place 
during  the  night.  The  mists  in  the  valley  and  over 
the  mountains  dispersed  as  the  sun's  rays,  advancing 
swiftly  from  the  east,  touched  the  world  with  the  trans- 
forming magic  of  splendour  of  day.  Then  suddenly 
a  strange  thing  happened.  In  the  rose  and  golden 
glory  of  the  unfolding  pageant  of  the  early  rushing 
morning,  there  was  wafted  over  the  Tsubosaka  valley 
the  most  wonderful  and  uplifting  strains  of  music, 
and  above  the  bodies  of  Sawaichi  and  O  Sato  appeared 
the  holy  and  yearningly  compassionate  form  of 
Kwannon  shining  in  a  great,  all-space-illuminating 
radiance. 

"  Listen,  Sawaichi !  "  said  the  Heavenly  Voice, 
"  Your  blindness  is  the  result  of  sin  in  your  former 
life.     The  end  of  this  life  had  come  for  you  both, 

173 


Tsubosaka 


but  through  the  faith  of  your  wife  and  the  merits  of 
her  accumulated  prayers,  your  lives  shall  be  prolonged. 
Therefore  believe  and  devote  your  lives  to  prayer, 
and  make  a  pilgrimage  to  the  thirty-three  holy  places, 
where  you  must  offer  up  thanks  for  the  grace  of 
Buddha.  Awake,  O  Sato !  O  Sato !  Sawaichi ! 
Sawaichi !  " 

With  these  words  the  divine  vision  disappeared  ; 
the  temple  bell  pealed  forth  the  hour  of  morning 
prayer,  the  birds  began  to  sing,  the  priests  to  beat 
their  gongs  and  drums,  and  to  chant  their  orisons, 
and  over  the  hillside  villages  and  in  the  temple  the 
world  woke  once  more  to  life  and  work. 

The  two  bodies  lying  in  the  valley  rose  up,  wonder- 
ing whether  the  vision  which  had  restored  them  to 
life  were  a  dream. 

Vaguely  they  remembered  the  events  of  the  night. 

0  Sato  gazed  at  Sawaichi : 

"  Sawaichi  San !  My  husband !  Your  eyes  are 
open  !  " 

"  Yes,  yes,  my  eyes  are  open  indeed  !  Oh,  oh,  my 
eyes  are  open,  open,  open  !     My  eyes  are  open  at  last ! 

1  can  hardly  believe  it,"  cried  Sawaichi,  joyfully. 

"  Remember  that  it  is  due  to  the  mercy  of  Kwannon 
Sama,"  said  O  Sato. 

"  I  am  thankful,  thankful,  thankful !  "  exclaimed 
Sawaichi.     Then  looking  at  his  wife,  he  asked  : 

"  But  who  are  you  ?  " 

"  Why,  I  am  your  wife  O  Sato,  of  course ! " 
answered  O  Sato. 

174 


"  T  isten   Sawaichi  !  "  said  the  Heavenly  Voice,    V  Through  the  faith  of  your  wife  and 
^merits  of  her  accumulated  prayers  your  lives  shall  be  prolonged 


V 


.«*■ 


.' 


Tsubosaka 


"  Oh,  you  are  my  wife,  are  you  ?  How  happy  I 
am  !  This  is  the  first  time  I  see  you.  But  how 
wonderful  it  all  is.  When  I  threw  myself  over  the 
precipice,  I  knew  nothing  more  till  Kwannon  appeared 
to  me  in  a  great  and  marvellous  light  and  told  me  that 
my  blindness  was  the  result  of  misdeeds  in  a  former 
life." 

"  I,  too,"  said  O  Sato,  "  followed  you  to  death  and 
leaped  into  the  valley  where  I  saw  you  lying  all  alone. 
I,  too,  knew  nothing  till  Kwannon  Sama  called  me. 
Your  eyes  are  really  open,  Sawaichi  San  !  Does  it 
not  seem  a  dream  !  " 

"  No,  no,"  said  Sawaichi,  "  it  is  no  dream.  The 
most  merciful  Kwannon  called  me  back  to  life  and  by 
a  miracle  restored  my  sight.  Ha,  ha,  ha  !  As  deep 
as  the  sea  is  my  gratitude  to  Kwannon." 

Taking  each  other  by  the  hand  and  smiling  happily, 
they  climbed  to  the  temple  where  they  had  prayed  so 
despairingly  the  night  before.  As  they  went  along 
Sawaichi  raised  his  hands  in  worship  towards  the  sun- 
light. 

To  this  poor  couple,  now  so  happily  restored  to  life 
and  joy  and  hope,  the  hill  of  Tsubosaka  did  indeed 
seem  Paradise  through  the  mercy  of  KWANNON,  the 
Embodiment  of  Amida's  Compassion. 


175 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

Or  The  Sugawara  Tragedy 


M 


Note. — For  many  centuries  the  Fujiwara  nobles  (the  Em- 
presses were  always  chosen  from  this  family)  had  secured  for 
themselves  supreme  control  and  influence  over  the  Mikados 
in  Kyoto.  In  the  ninth  century  another  family  of  courtiers 
came  into  prominence,  namely  the  Sugawara,  who  eventually 
gained  sufficient  power  with  the  Emperor  to  be  a  serious  menace 
to  the  schemes  of  the  Fujiwara.  At  the  end  of  the  ninth 
century  there  arose  one  especially,  Lord  Michizane  Suguwara, 
brilliant  statesman,  scholar,  high-souled  patriot  and  poet. 

The  Emperor  Uda  held  him  in  high  esteem  and  promoted 
him  from  the  position  of  his  tutor  to  that  of  Minister  of  the 
Right.*  In  898  the  Fujiwara  succeeded  in  compelling  Uda 
to  abdicate  in  favour  of  his  son,  a  child  of  twelve  years  of 
age,  expecting  him  to  be  a  more  pliant  tool  in  their  hands. 
This  boy  became  the  60th  Emperor,  Daigo,  who,  by  the  advice 
of  his  Imperial  father,  planned  to  give  Michizane  absolute 
authority  in  state  affairs.  The  jealousy  of  the  vigilant  Fuji- 
wara courtiers  was  fully  aroused,  and  through  the  machina- 
tions of  Lord  Tokihira  (Fujiwara),  Minister  of  the  Left,  his 
rival,  Michizane,  was  falsely  accused  of  high  treason  and 
banished  to  Kiushiu  where,  in  the  horrors  of  poverty  and  exile, 
he  died  in  903.  Michizane  is  now  known  by  the  posthumous 
title  of  Tenjin.  Many  Shinto  temples  have  been  erected  in 
his  honour,  and  students  still  worship  his  spirit  as  the  patron 
god  of  letters  and  literature. 

The  following  drama,  one  of  the  most  popular  in  Japanese 
literature,  tells  the  story  of  one  heroic  incident  in  the  scatter- 
ing of  the  Sugawara  family,  and  of  the  rescue  of  Lady  Suga- 
wara, and  the  loyalty  of  Matsuo  and  0  Chiyo,  his  wife,  vassals 
of  the  Sugawara. 

Matsuo,  the  better  to  serve  his  lord's  cause,  feigns  to  be 

*  In  the  ancient  Imperial  Court  there  were  two  supreme 
Ministers  in  the  Council  of  State  ;  first  the  Minister  of  the  Left 
(Sadaijin — next  in  rank  to  the  Prime  Minister),  and  second,  the 
Minister  of  the  Right  {Udaijiri). 

178 


unfaithful  to  him  and  to  go  over  to  the  enemy — in  fact,  he 
acts  the  dangerous  part  of  a  spy.  The  Fujiwara  Minister  is 
completely  deceived  and,  enlisting  his  aid,  reveals  to  Matsuo 
his  secret  plans  for  the  final  overthrow  of  the  exiled  Sugavvara 
and  the  murder  of  his  son.  So  clever  and  thorough  is  Matsuo's 
dissimulation  that  even  his  own  father  and  his  brothers  are 
deluded,  and  Matsuo  is  calumniated  by  all  who  know  him, 
accused  of  disloyalty  to  his  lord  (an  unpardonable  offence  in 
old  Japan)  and  disinherited  by  his  family.  Finally,  in  a 
crowning  act  of  transcendent  devotion  to  the  Sugawara  House, 
Matsuo  and  O  Chiyo,  to  save  their  young  lord  from  death, 
willingly  substitute  their  own  child,  Kotaro,  in  his  place.  In 
the  feudal  days  loyalty  was  the  one  great  social  obligation 
of  the  samurai  to  his  lord.  And  this  spirit  of  loyalty  often 
involved  painful  self-sacrifice.  "  Life  was  freely  offered,  not 
only  by  him  who  was  bound  by  fealty  to  his  lord,  but  by  his 
children." 

The  following  is  a  typical  tragedy  of  its  kind. 


179 


PERSONS  REPRESENTED 

Lady  Sugawara,  wife  of  the  exiled  Prime  Minister  or  "  Minis- 
ter of  the  Right " — hiding  from  the  enemy  in  Matsuo's 
house. 

Matsuo,  a  devoted  vassal  of  Lord  Michizane  Sugawara. 

0  Chiyo,  wife  of  Matsuo. 

Kotaro,  the  little  son  of  Matsuo  and  O  Chiyo. 

Shundo  Gemba,  the  emissary  of  Lord  Fujiwara  Tokihira, 
triumphant  enemy  of  Sugawara. 

Takebe  Genzo,  a  schoolmaster  in  the  suburbs  of  Kyoto,  also 
vassal  of  the  Sugawara. 

Ton  ami,  wife  of  the  schoolmaster. 

Kanshusai,  Lord  Sugawara's  son,  a  handsome  clever  boy, 
eight  years  of  age. 

Several  village  school  children  and  their  parents. 

Scene  I.     Matsuo's  cottage  in  Kyoto.     Night. 
Lanterns  lighted  in  the  room. 


1 80 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

Or  The  Sugawara  Tragedy 

IN  the  old  capital  of  Kyoto,  not  far  from  the 
Imperial  Palace,  there  lived  a  samurai  named 
Matsuo  with  his  wife  O  Chiyo,  and  their  little 
son  Kotaro,  eight  years  of  age. 
With  Kotaro  by  her  side,  O  Chiyo  reverently  on  her 
knees  pushed  aside  the  sliding  screens  of  an  inner 
room,  and  disclosed  the  Lady  Sugawara  seated  on 
the  mats,  bending  forward  with  her  face  buried  in  her 
hands,  her  whole  attitude  expressive  of  grief  and 
despair. 

O  Chiyo  bowed  low  and  said  with  a  voice  hushed 
in  sympathy  : 

"  It  is  terrible  to  me  to  think  that  such  a  great  lady 
as  you  cannot  go  even  to  the  veranda  in  the  day- 
time for  fear  of  being  seen  by  your  enemies.  You 
must,  indeed,  feel  like  a  prisoner — and  above  all, 
the  separation  from  the  Prime  Minister,  and  your  son 
and  daughter.  How  despondent  you  must  feel ! 
While  you  were  hiding  in  the  capital  the  secret  of  your 
whereabouts  leaked  out,  and  you  were  in  danger  of 
being  caught — at  that  crisis  my  husband  saved  you 
and  brought  you  here.  You  must  be  sadly  ill  at  ease 
confined  in  this  poor  house,  and  after  what  you  have 
been  accustomed  to  the  loneliness  must  be  very  de- 
pressing.    But  do  not  despair  !     You  may  yet  join 

181 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 


your  husband  and  son  sooner  than  you  think.  Till 
that  time  comes  patiently  endure  all  hardships,  hoping 
for  happier  days." 

"  Oh  !  "  answered  the  Lady  Sugawara  in  melancholy 
tones,  "  you  are  so  sympathetic  and  good,  I  shall  never 
forget  your  kindness,  even  after  death.  Through  the 
malice  of  a  bad  man  *  my  husband  was  banished  to  a 
distant  place,  and  my  poor  boy  and  myself  are  refugees. 
The  thought  of  them  haunts  me  from  morning  till 
night.  There  is  nothing  but  misery  in  dragging  out 
my  existence  from  day  to  day  in  this  state — but  I 
will,  at  least,  wait  till  I  can  see  them  again,  if  but 
for  a  moment,  and  then  die,  especially  as  your 
little  Kotaro  reminds  me  vividly  of  my  own  son, 
to  whom  he  bears  a  great  resemblance.  My  long- 
ing to  see  him  again  grows  ever  more  and  more 
intense." 

With  these  sad  words  the  unfortunate  lady  burst 
into  tears  ;  O  Chiyo,  deeply  affected  by  her  sorrowful 
plight,  wept  with  her,  and  the  silence  of  the  room  was 
only  broken  by  the  sobs  of  the  two  women. 

Suddenly,  some  one  from  outside  announced  in  a 
loud  voice  that  an  emissary  from  an  exalted  personage 
had  arrived. 

Both  women  started  to  their  feet.  O  Chiyo  barely 
had  time  to  conceal  Lady  Sugawara  in  an  inner  room, 
when,  preceded  by  several  attendants  carrying  lan- 
terns, the  emissary,  Shundo  Gemba,  arrived  in  full 
state  as  befitting  the  bearer  of  an  important  message — 

*  The  Fujiwara  Minister. 
182 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

he  pompously  entered  the  room  and  seated  himself 
in  the  place  of  honour  before  the  alcove. 

O  Chiyo's  husband,  Matsuo,  who  had  secluded  him- 
self and  was  resting  in  an  inner  room,  overhearing 
the  commotion,  came  out  to  welcome  the  visitor. 

"  As  I  am  suffering  from  illness  I  must  beg  you  to 
overlook  my  lack  of  ceremony  in  not  receiving  you  in 
official  dress,"  and  he  bowed  to  the  ground  in  a  respect- 
ful manner. 

Gemba  replied  haughtily : 

"  However  ill  you  may  be  you  must  listen  to  the 
command  of  Lord  Tokihira  (the  new  Prime  Minister 
who  had  supplanted  Sugawara).  Sugawara's  son, 
whose  hiding-place  was  hitherto  unknown,  has  at  last 
been  discovered  by  some  one  who  has  revealed  the 
secret.  The  boy  is  now  in  the  house  of  Takebe  Genzo, 
by  profession  a  teacher  of  Chinese  writing,  but  in 
reality  a  secret  and  staunch  supporter  of  Michizane. 
This  man  passes  the  young  lord  off  as  his  own  son. 
There  is  no  one  on  our  side  who  knows  Kanshusai 
except  yourself,  so  you  are  commanded  to  identify 
the  head  as  soon  as  it  is  cut  off,  and  to  bring  it  as  a 
trophy  to  Lord  Tokihira.  By  way  of  reward  for  this 
service  sick  leave  will  be  granted  you,  and  on  your 
recovery  you  will  be  created  Lord  of  Harima.  There 
is  no  time  to  be  lost,  so  you  must  make  preparations 
at  once." 

O  Chiyo,  who  was  listening  with  a  beating  heart 
in  the  next  room,  felt  keenly  apprehensive,  for  her 
husband  had  been  extra  moody  and  reticent  of  late, 

l«3 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

and  she  could  neither  fathom  what  was  in  his  mind, 
nor  what  answer  he  would  make  to  the  dreadful  pro- 
position of  this  man  straight  from  the  enemy's  camp. 

To  her  utter  consternation  Matsuo  replied  : 

"  What  kindness  on  the  part  of  our  lord !  No 
greater  honour  could  be  conferred  upon  our  house. 
I  will  obey  the  command  at  once.  But  owing  to  my 
illness  matters  cannot  be  arranged  as  speedily  as  I 
could  wish.  If  that  man  Genzo  should  happen  to  hear 
that  I  am  going  to  attack  him  and  wrest  his  prize  from 
him,  he  may  escape  with  the  young  Sugawara." 

"  Do  not  trouble  yourself  about  that,"  returned 
Gemba,  "  it  is  only  a  ronirCs  t  hut,  and  need  not  even 
be  surrounded." 

"  But  Takebe,  knowing  that  Lord  Tokihira  is  in- 
stituting a  search  for  the  boy,  still  boldly  harbours 
him — it  is  certain  that  the  schoolmaster  can  be  no 
common  man — we  must  be  very  cautious  in  dealing 
with  him,"  objected  Matsuo. 

"  You  are  quite  right,"  replied  the  envoy,  "  if 
they  should  manage  to  escape  both  of  us  will  be 
blamed." 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  Matsuo  agreed ;  and  then  as  if 
suddenly  struck  by  the  thought,  "  I  am  sorry  to  trouble 
you,  but  do  not  fail  to  let  your  men  keep  a  sharp  watch 
on  every  exit  of  the  village  during  the  night." 

"  All  right,"  responded  the  other,  "  you  need  not 

*  Ronin,  a  samurai  who  has  severed  relations  with  his  lord 
for  the  sake,  generally,  of  carrying  out  some  plan  which  would 
entail  disgrace  if  unsuccessful. 

184 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

trouble  on  that  score,  every  necessary  precaution  will 
be  taken." 

"  Well,  then  at  an  early  hour  to-morrow  I  will  ac- 
company you  to  Takebe's  house,"  said  Matsuo. 

"  Thank  you  for  your  trouble,"  and  the  two  men 
took  leave  of  each  other,  Gemba  departing  from  the 
house  in  the  same  haughty  style  as  he  had  entered  it. 

Matsuo,  with  a  troubled  heart,  watched  until  the 
emissary's  procession  had  disappeared  in  the  distance. 
Before  he  could  carry  out  his  intended  plan  he  must 
first  sound  his  wife. 

During  the  interview  O  Chiyo  had  waited  in  the 
next  room,  a  silent  witness  of  all  that  had  taken  place 
between  her  husband  and  Lord  Tokihira's  messenger. 
As  soon  as  Gemba's  party  had  taken  their  departure 
she  opened  the  sliding  screens  and  with  some  trepida- 
tion confronted  her  husband. 

"  It  seems,"  said  the  wife,  "  by  what  Gemba  had  to 
communicate,  that  the  hiding-place  of  our  young  lord 
is  at  last  discovered.  Before  the  assassin  has  had  time 
to  carry  out  his  murderous  work  let  us  send  for  him 
here,  and  try  to  rescue  the  poor  child  before  he  falls 
into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  There  is  no  time  to 
lose." 

As  Matsuo  made  no  response,  O  Chiyo  pressed  him 
again  and  again  not  to  delay. 

At  last  he  laughed  cynically. 

"  You  do  not  seem  to  have  the  slightest  idea  of  what 
is  in  my  mind  !  I  brought  Lady  Sugawara  here  from 
Kita's  house  so  that  I  might  deliver  her  up  together 

185 


Loyal,  Even  UntoDeath 


with  her  son's  head  at  the  same  time — that  is  why 
I  have  hidden  her  here." 

"  What  are  you  saying  ?  "  gasped  0  Chiyo.  "  Can  it 
be  your  real  intention  to  betray  them  to  Tokihira  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  answered  her  husband,  calmly  looking  her 
in  the  face,  "  now  is  the  time  to  grasp  my  long-wished 
for  ambition — my  fortune  has  come  at  last,"  and  he 
smiled  as  if  well  pleased  with  himself. 

This  was  the  first  time  that  Matsuo  had  given  any 
hint  of  his  sinister  intention  towards  the  innocent  Lady 
Sugawara  and  her  son,  and  O  Chiyo  was  so  startled 
and  horrified  that  for  a  few  moments  she  was  choked 
for  utterance.  She  had  hitherto  felt  convinced  that 
he  was  devoted,  heart,  soul,  and  body,  to  the  cause 
of  their  beloved  ex- Prime  Minister.  Bitter  tears  fell 
from  her  eyes,  and  she  moved  nearer  to  him  on  the 
mats  ;  in  the  earnestness  of  her  appeal  she  stretched 
out  a  hand  and  laid  it  on  his  arm,  till  she  could  find 
words  to  falter  out : 

"  Oh,  my  husband,  since  when  has  this  dreadful 
scheme  taken  possession  of  your  heart  ?  For  the 
Sugawara  family  I  have  been  quite  resigned  to  your 
being  misunderstood  and  disinherited  by  your  father's 
house,  and  the  severance  of  all  relationship  with  your 
brothers — indeed,  so  staunch  and  whole-hearted  has 
been  your  devotion  to  this  cause  that  I  always  in- 
tended to  apologize  and  explain  matters  to  your  family 
when  the  time  came.  Now  suddenly,  without  the 
least  warning,  your  lifelong  fidelity  has  been  perverted 
into  treachery.  However  great  your  ambition  for 
1 86 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

promotion  may  be,  to  betray  the  wife  and  child  of  our 
Lord  Sugawara  into  the  hands  of  Tokihira  is  im- 
possible. Are  you  a  devil  or  a  dragon  ?  The  punish- 
ment for  such  baseness  will  fall  not  only  on  yourself, 
but  on  your  child.  Oh  !  purify  your  heart  from  this 
evil  intention,  and  conduct  the  Lady  Sugawara  and 
her  son  safely  to  the  ex-Prime  Minister  in  Tsukushi,* 
I  implore  you  !  "  and  the  distraught  woman  lifted  her 
hands  in  an  attitude  of  prayer  to  her  husband,  while 
the  tears  coursed  down  her  cheeks. 

But,  unmoved  by  her  appeal,  Matsuo  still  laughed 
contemptuously. 

"  What  silly  woman's  talk  !  I  have  now  no  parents 
or  brothers — they  are  strangers  to  me  !  It  would  be 
foolish  to  forget  our  own  child's  welfare  for  the  sake 
of  exiles  banished  by  the  State.  You  may  say  it  is 
against  reason  and  righteousness,  but  I  do  it  for  the 
sake  of  my  boy — there  is  no  treasure  more  precious 
than  a  son." 

"  Oh  !  oh  !  "  sobbed  O  Chiyo,  "  how  heartless  you 
are  !  If  you  think  so  much  of  your  own  boy,  Lady 
Sugawara's  feelings  must  be  the  same  for  her  son. 
To  attain  your  ambition  at  the  expense  of  others, 
sorrow  can  bring  you  no  good.  Your  life  will  end 
in  sorrow  and  misery  as  the  result  of  such  a  deed." 

Matsuo  became  more  incensed,  and  sternly  bade  his 
wife  be  silent. 

"  If  the  Lady  Sugawara  overhear  you  and  escape, 
everything  will  be  lost,  you  foolish  woman  !  "  and  with 

*  Where  Sugawara  was  exiled. 

I87 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

these  words  Matsuo  turned  to  leave  the  room.  His 
wife  seized  the  edge  of  his  robe  and  tried  to  hold  him 
back. 

"  Do  not  hinder  me,  whatever  you  do  !  "  he  said, 
angrily,  and  pushing  her  aside,  he  disappeared  in  the 
direction  of  Lady  Sugawara's  room. 

O  Chiyo  fell  as  her  husband  tore  himself  from  her 
detaining  grasp,  and  lay  prostrate  on  the  mats,  stunned 
with  the  horror  of  what  he  was  about  to  do.  After  a 
few  minutes  she  collected  herself. 

"  Oh,  oh  !  it  seems  like  some  dreadful  dream,"  she 
murmured  in  acute  distress.  "  I  have  lived  happily 
with  Matsuo  for  so  many  years,  and  surely  he  cannot 
be  such  a  bad  man.  For  the  sake  of  our  boy  he  has 
lost  his  conscience.  Poor  lady !  Poor  lady !  In 
total  ignorance  of  his  change  of  heart  she  has  trusted 
to  him  as  her  chief  staff  and  pillar  of  support.  How 
can  I  look  her  in  the  face  after  this  ?  To  prove  to 
her  that  I  am  not  one  with  my  husband  it  is  better  to 
kill  myself  and  ask  her  pardon  in  another  world." 

The  poor  woman,  in  her  grief  and  perplexity,  wept 
and  trembled  by  turns.  After  a  few  minutes  she 
wiped  away  her  tears  and  sat  up  with  determination 
written  on  her  face. 

"  It  is  now  impossible  to  change  my  husband's  cruel 
purpose,"  she  said  to  herself  aloud.  "  My  innocent 
little  Kotaro  will  be  taught  wrong  ways,  he  will  grow 
up  a  degraded  man  and  come  to  a  bad  end.  I  foresee 
it  all  quite  plainly.  It  is  far  better  to  kill  him  now 
and  let  his  pure  soul  accompany  me  on  my  long  journey 
188 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

to  the  next  life.  Besides,  when  Kotaro  is  no  longer 
alive,  Matsuo  may  return  to  his  better  nature  and 
repent  of  his  treacherous  schemes,  and  the  knowledge 
of  it  will  reach  me  and  I  shall  be  glad,  even  after 
death." 

At  this  moment  her  little  son  came  gaily  running  to 
her.  Knowing  nothing  of  the  tragic  web  of  death, 
which  Fate,  like  a  grim  spider,  was  weaving  round  him, 
he  playfully  caressed  his  mother,  his  bright  eyes 
shining,  his  little  face  alight  with  smiles. 

"  Mother,  Mother,  the  lady  inside  is  calling  you  ! 
Come,  quick,  quick  !  " 

As  O  Chiyo  looked  at  the  child's  innocent  face  the 
tears  rose  to  her  eyes. 

"  Oh  !  Kotaro,  my  little  son,  come  here — here," 
she  said  with  a  sob,  and  drew  him  close  to  her  side. 
"  Oh  !  Kotaro,  listen  attentively  to  what  I  am  going 
to  say,  like  a  good  boy.  The  lady  in  the  inner  room 
is  the  wife  of  your  father's  and  your  mother's  lord, 
and  yours  also,  Kotaro.  For  many  years  we  have 
received  nothing  but  favours  and  kindness  from  them, 
therefore  we  owe  them  both  a  debt  of  great  gratitude. 
Now,  Kotaro,  your  father  tells  me  that  he  intends  to 
kill  that  good  unfortunate  lady,  our  own  lord's  wife — 
therefore,  I,  your  mother,  cannot  remain  alive  any 
longer — I  have  decided  that  my  spirit  shall  accompany 
her  as  an  attendant  to  the  other  world.  But  you, 
Kotaro,  are  the  favourite  of  your  father — perhaps  you 
would  like  to  remain  behind  in  this  world  with  him  ?  ' 

"  Oh,  no,  no,  "  answered  the  child,  "  I  won't  stay 

189 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

with  such  a  cruel  father.  If  you  die,  I  want  to  die 
with  you  !  " 

"  Oh,  how  sensible  you  are,  Kotaro.  Even  if  you 
had  refused  to  die,  I  must  have  killed  you  for  the  sake 
of  your  father — you  seem  to  understand  that  without 
being  told.  I  have,  therefore,  the  more  pity  for  you 
as  you  are  so  intelligent  and  your  wish  is  to  die  with 
me.  When  your  father  sees  you  lying  dead,  sorrow 
may  make  him  repent  of  the  evil  path  he  has  chosen. 
The  other  day  I  made  a  consecrated  banner  for  the 
grave  of  little  Sakura  Maru,  your  uncle.  How  little 
did  I  dream,  while  making  it,  that  I  should  ever  use  it 
for  my  own  son." 

With  these  words  she  drew  out  a  dagger  which  had 
been  concealed  in  her  obi*  unsheathed  it,  and  with 
raised  hand  was  about  to  stab  the  child. 

"  Stay,  stay,  do  not  be  too  hasty  !  "  the  voice  of 
Matsuo  rang  out  sharply  in  the  silence,  as  he  suddenly 
appeared  in  the  open  shoji  f  leading  Lady  Sugawara 
by  the  hand.  As  they  entered  the  room  in  front  of 
the  startled  O  Chiyo,  whose  hand,  poised  to  strike  the 
fatal  blow,  fell  to  her  side,  Matsuo  made  a  gesture  to 
Lady  Sugawara  to  take  the  place  of  honour  by  the 
alcove. 

Matsuo  then  seated  himself  opposite  Sugawara's 
unhappy  wife  in  the  lowly  seat  near  the  exit  of  the 
room,  prostrating  himself  before  her. 

"  It  is  quite  natural  that  your  ladyship  and  my  wife 

*  Obi,  the  sash  or  girdle. 
|  Shoji,  sliding  paper  door. 

ICp 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

do  not  know  my  true  heart  :    now  let  me  speak  the 
truth,"  he  said,  with  quiet  and  impressive  dignity. 
"  After  the  overthrow  of  your  house  and  the  banish- 
ment of  Lord  Sugawara,  when  my  brother  became 
ronin  and  quarrelled  with  me,  I  served  Prince  Tokihira 
for  some  time.     I  was  soon  disgusted  with  his  ways, 
and  finding  my  situation  untenable,  asked  for  sick 
leave,  with  the  purpose  of  finding  your  son  so  that  I 
might  do  my  best  to  restore  your  house  to  its  former 
position.     I  did  everything  in  my  power  to  help  you, 
but  to  my  dismay  nearly  everyone  was  in  league  with 
the  enemy.     It  was  part  of  my  plan,  you  must  know, 
to  throw  our  crafty  enemy  off  the  scent,  and  it  was  to 
this  end  that  I  entered  his  service  and  pretended  to  be 
one  of  his  party.     I  played  my  part  so  well  as  to  de- 
ceive my  own  father,  who,  despising  me  for  a  disloyal 
and  faithless  man,  condemned  my  conduct  and  dis- 
inherited me,  for  he,  too,  was  devoted  to  your  cause. 
For  this  policy  also  I  separated  from  my  brothers. 
In  thus  misleading  the  enemy  I  felt  sure  that  I  could 
be  of  some  use  in  saving  you  and  your  son  at  a  critical 
moment.     It  was  a  drastic  step  to  take,  but  Tokihira 
has  been  completely  misled,  and  events  have  turned 
out  just  as  I  expected.     This  night,  as  you  must  have 
heard,  I  received  strict  orders  to  act  as  identifier  of 
your  son's  head.     As  Takebe  is  a  faithful  man  he  will 
not  kill  our  young  lord,  of  that  rest  assured.     But  alas  ! 
he  is  one,  while  the  enemy  are  many.     '  If  anything 
should  happen  to  our  lord's  son,  it  can  never  be  un- 
done,' these  were  the  thoughts  that  troubled  me  this 

191 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

evening  when  I  overhead  what  your  ladyship  said, 
that  Kotaro  bore  a  strong  resemblance  to  our  young 
lord ;  and  the  idea  flashed  into  my  brain  that  our  boy 
can  be  used  as  a  substitute  to  save  him.  At  the  same 
time  it  occurred  to  me,  that  if  my  wife's  love  for  Kotaro 
obstruct  my  plans  I  should  be  powerless,  so  to  prove 
what  was  in  her  heart  I  said  cruel  things  that  I  did  not 
mean — that,  for  the  sake  of  my  boy,  I  would  betray 
you  and  your  son.  She  did  not  understand  me,  and 
then  and  there  decided  to  kill  herself  and  Kotaro,  and 
by  thus  removing  the  cause  of  my  supposed  tempta- 
tion to  induce  my  repentance.     What  a  noble  wife  !  " 

O  Chiyo,  as  she  listened  to  this  long  explanation 
from  her  beloved  husband,  wept  for  joy,  and  Lady 
Sugawara  was  overcome  with  emotion  at  the  surpass- 
ing loyalty  of  her  retainers  ;  they  seemed  to  her  to  be 
exalted  above  ordinary  human  beings — and  were  as 
Gods  in  the  pure  sphere  of  a  selfless  world. 

"  For  sake  of  loyalty  you  have  become  an  outcast 
to  your  father's  house,  and  now  you  would  kill  your 
son,  your  only  son,  for  us — it  distresses  me  too  much — 
it  is  overwhelming.  I  cannot  accept  such  a  sacrifice  ! 
The  punishment  of  Heaven  may  be  visited  upon  me. 
No,  no,  no — you  must  not  slay  your  little  Kotaro  even 
for  your  lord's  sake.  If  everything  should  fail  us, 
you  must  try  to  save  both,  my  son  and  Kotaro," 
implored  the  hopeless  wife  of  the  exiled  minister. 

Matsuo,  whose  mind  never  wavered,  prostrated  him- 
self before  her. 

"  How  grateful  I  am  to  you  for  your  considerate 
192 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

thought  for  us,  but  as  every  exit  in  the  village  is  care- 
fully watched,  there  is  no  way  of  escape." 

Then  he  turned  to  his  wife. 

"  After  your  decision  of  an  hour  ago,  I  do  not  think 
you  will  now  hesitate  to  sacrifice  our  boy." 

He  then  leaned  forward  and  looked  at  his  son  with 
a  smile. 

"  Kotaro,  you  are  too  young  to  understand  these 
things,  but  for  the  sake  of  your  young  lord  and  your 
parents,  die  without  regret  !  " 

As  Matsuo  spoke  those  tragic  words,  fixing  his  eyes 
upon  the  upturned  face  of  his  boy,  whose  bright  eyes 
looked  back  at  him  trustingly  and  fearlessly,  a  shudder 
involuntarily  passed  through  his  frame  in  spite  of  the 
iron  restraint  he  put  upon  himself.  But  loyalty  de- 
manded the  sacrifice,  and  at  all  costs  the  house  of 
Sugawara  must  be  saved.  To  control  himself  he 
closed  his  eyes,  to  shut  out  the  vision  of  his  boy's  smile. 
The  moment  of  weakness  passed,  and  Matsuo  once 
more  sat  erect,  gazing  at  his  son  with  an  unmoved  face, 
white  and  set  as  a  mask. 

Lady  Sugawara  and  O  Chiyo  dared  not  look  at  him. 
Both  began  to  sob,  covering  their  faces  with  their 
sleeves. 

"  Do  not  give  way  to  weakness,"  at  last  Matsuo 
forced  himself  to  say,  sternly.  "  If  we  spend  our 
time  thus,  everything  will  be  lost.  Look,  the  dawn  is 
beginning  to  break.  Get  ready  to  take  Kotaro  to 
Takebe's  house  immediately.     Quick,  quick  !  " 

"  Yes,  yes,"  assented  the  mother,  with  a  sinking 

N  I93 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

heart,  and  she  slowly  rose  to  her  feet,  taking  Kotaro 
by  the  hand.  She  knew  that  this  was  the  end.  Her 
boy's  doom  was  at  hand  and  his  hours  were  numbered. 

"  Have  I  to  go  now  ?  "  said  Kotaro,  bravely. 
"  Father,  will  you  not  say  farewell  and  call  me  your 
good  boy  for  the  last  time  ?  " 

Thus  the  mother  and  her  son  set  out  for  the  sacrifice. 


194 


PART  II 

Scene  :  A  village  school  kept  by  Takebe  Genzo  and  his  wife 
Tonami,  both  devoted  vassals  of  the  exiled  Prime 
Minister,  Michizane  Sugawara.  Among  Takebe's  pupils 
is  the  young  Sugawara.  This  boy  they  disguise  and 
pass  off  as  their  own  child.  The  little  lord,  though  only 
eight  years  of  age,  excels  in  everything  among  the  pupils 
and,  inheriting  the  ability  from  his  father,  writes  Chinese 
hieroglyphics  with  great  skill.  The  senior  pupil  is  a  lazy, 
stupid,  and  incorrigibly  mischievous  fellow,  fifteen  years 
of  age,  who  will  not  study  at  all. 

rHILE  our  teacher  is  out  it  is  a  great 
waste  of  time  to  practise  writing. 
Look  !  I  have  done  all  my  writing 
on  my  head."  and  the  lazy  boy  came 
forward  and  showed  his  school-fellows  a  shaved  pate 
all  blackened  with  Indian  ink. 

The  little  Sugawara  looked  at  him  and  said  : 
"  If  you  learn  one  new  character  every  day  you  will 
acquire  three  hundred  and  sixty-five  characters  in  a 
year.     Instead  of  wasting  your  time  playing  like  that, 
you  must  study." 

But  the  older  boy  only  laughed  at  him,  and  left  his 
desk  to  prance  about  the  room. 

The  other  boys  took  the  part  of  little  Sugawara  and, 
growing  disgusted  with  the  idle  boy,  wanted  to  punish 
him.  There  arose  a  great  clamour  in  the  school- 
room, all  the  boys  shouting  together  and  leaving  their 
places  to  attack  him. 

195 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

Disturbed  by  the  noise,  the  schoolmaster's  wife 
came  out  from  the  inner  room. 

"  What  is  the  matter  ?  Are  you  quarrelling  again  ? 
To-day  the  master  is  away.  He  has  been  invited  by  a 
friend,  and  I  do  not  know  when  he  will  come  back. 
As  we  are  expecting  a  new  pupil  to-day  I  am  anxious 
for  his  return.  Now,  if  you  are  good  boys  and  will 
work  hard  this  morning,  I  will  give  all  of  you  a  half- 
holiday  this  afternoon." 

The  boys  were  delighted  with  this  promise.  All 
promptly  returned  to  their  seats,  and  opening  their 
books  and  their  inkstands,  became  diligently  ab- 
sorbed in  their  tasks  of  reading  and  writing. 

Just  then  a  sound  at  the  porch  made  Tonami  draw 
aside  the  screens.  A  gentle  and  aristocratic-looking 
woman  was  standing  there  with  a  pretty  boy  of  about 
eight  years  of  age  by  her  side.  A  manservant,  carry- 
ing a  desk,  was  in  attendance. 

After  an  exchange  of  civilities,  the  visitor  explained  : 

"  Our  home  is  at  the  other  end  of  the  village.  The 
reason  for  my  visit  is  to  ask  you  to  take  this  naughty 
boy  into  your  care,  as  arranged  the  other  day.  I 
am  told  that  you  have  a  child  of  your  own  about  his 
age.     I  should  like  to  see  him  !  " 

Tonami  beckoned  to  the  little  Sugawara. 

"  Why,  certainly  ;  this  is  our  son  and  heir  !  " 

"  Oh,  what  a  nice  little  fellow  !  And  how  clever  he 
looks  !  "  Then  looking  round  the  school-room,  she 
added  : 

"  How  busy  you  must  be  with  such  a  number  of 
196 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

scholars  in  your  care.  They  must  be  a  great  trouble 
and  responsibility." 

"  Yes,  you  may  imagine  it  is  no  easy  work  to  look 
after  them  all.  Is  this  the  boy  you  wish  us  to  take 
charge  of  ?     What  is  his  name  ?  " 

"  His  name  is  Kotaro  !  "  answered  the  mother. 

"  What  an  intelligent-looking  child  !  "  exclaimed 
Tonami. 

"  Unfortunately  my  husband  has  been  obliged  to 
keep  an  appointment  with  some  friends.  But  if  you 
are  in  a  hurry  and  cannot  wait,  I  will  go  and  fetch 
him." 

"  No,  no,"  protested  Matsuo's  wife,  "  as  I  have  an 
errand  elsewhere  I  will  call  in  on  my  way  back.  He 
may  have  returned  by  then." 

Then  calling  her  servant,  she  ordered  him  to  bring 
in  the  presents  she  had  brought,  one  for  the  master, 
and  some  cakes  to  distribute  amongst  the  schoolboys. 
In  a  few  graceful  words  the  gratified  hostess  acknow- 
ledged her  visitor's  kind  thought. 

"  Oh,  it  is  nothing — only  a  little  token  of  thanks 
from  my  heart  for  all  the  trouble  my  boy  is  going  to 
give  you."     Then  turning  to  Kotaro,  she  added  : 

"  I  am  going  to  the  next  village,  so  you  must  wait 
for  me  here  like  a  good  child — don't  forget  all  I  have 
told  you  !  " 

"  Oh,  mother,  I  want  to  come  with  you  !  "  Kotaro 
suddenly  cried,  catching  her  by  the  sleeve  as  she  was 
stepping  into  the  porch. 

"  Now,   do   not   be   naughty ! "   remonstrated   his 

197 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

mother,  "  a  big  boy  like  you  ought  not  to  run  after 
your  mother.  Look,  Tonami  San,  what  a  baby  he  is 
still !  " 

"  Oh,  it  is  quite  natural,  poor  little  fellow.  Look 
here,  Kotaro  !  Come  with  me  and  I  will  give  you 
something  nice."  Then,  turning  to  O  Chiyo,  she 
added  "  Try  to  come  back  as  soon  as  possible." 

"  Yes,  yes,  I  will  come  back  at  once,  if  you  are  a 
good  boy,  Kotaro." 

Seizing  the  opportunity  she  slipped  out  through  the 
porch  gate,  followed  by  her  servant,  who  closed  it  after 
her,  and  the  two  briskly  clattered  away  on  their  clogs. 
The  poor  mother  yearned  to  turn  back  once  more, 
for  she  knew  that  she  would  never  see  her  little  son 
again  in  this  world  ;  but  she  kept  bravely  on  her  way. 

While  Tonami  was  trying  to  console  Kotaro,  and  to 
distract  his  attention  by  introducing  him  to  the  little 
Sugawara,  her  husband  returned.  His  face  was  pale, 
and  he  was  evidently  profoundly  agitated.  As  he 
entered  the  school-room  he  sharply  scrutinized  each 
of  the  boys  in  turn.  His  wife  saw  at  a  glance  that 
something  unusual  must  have  occurred. 

"  Oh,  what  common  fellows  they  are  !  "  he  muttered, 
crossly.  "  Such  country-bred  louts  can  never  serve 
my  purpose,  however  great  the  trouble  I  take  with 
their  education,"  and  he  gloomily  regarded  them  with 
knitted  brows,  as  though  something  was  weighing 
heavily  on  his  mind. 

His  wife  approached  him  and  anxiously  inquired  : 
"  What  is  the  matter  ?  You  seem  unusually 
198 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

worried  to-day.  You  knew  from  the  first  that  those 
village  lads  can  never  become  intellectual.  People 
will  not  think  well  of  you,  if  you  speak  against  your 
own  scholars  in  this  way.  Besides,  we  have  another 
pupil  to-day.  Please  try  to  recover  your  good  temper 
and  look  at  the  new  boy."  With  these  words  she 
brought  forward  Kotaro,  but  Takebe  had  become 
absorbed  in  his  own  preoccupation,  and  took  no  notice 
of  the  child. 

Kotaro  came  forward,  bowed  respectfully,  and  said  : 
"  Please,  sir,  I  look  to  you  to  teach  me  from  now." 

At  these  words,  spoken  in  a  clear,  sweet  treble, 
Takebe  started  from  his  reverie  and  fixed  his  eyes 
upon  the  new-comer  ;  by  degrees  his  face  gradually 
brightened  as  though  struck  by  a  new  train  of  thought. 

"  What  a  handsome  and  dignified  boy.  You  might 
easily  pass  for  the  son  of  a  nobleman  or  any  other 
exalted  personage.     Well,  you  are  a  fine  fellow  !  " 

"  He  is,  indeed,"  responded  Tonami,  with  a  smile. 
"  I  thought  you  would  be  glad  to  see  such  a  promising 
pupil." 

"  Yes,  yes,"  assented  the  master — "  nothing  could 
be  better,"  he  muttered,  in  an  undertone,  as  if  speak- 
ing to  himself ;  and  then  aloud,  "  where  is  the  mother 
who  brought  him  here  ?  " 

"  As  you  were  not  at  home,  she  went  to  the  next 
village  on  an  errand,"  replied  his  wife. 

"  That  is  capital !  "  said  Takebe,  growing  more  and 
more  pleased.  "  Send  this  child  with  our  boy  to  an 
inner  room,  and  let  them  play  together." 

199 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 


"  Now,"  said  Tonami,  turning  to  the  class  of  school- 
boys, who  had  been  more  assiduous  than  ever  since 
their  master's  return,  "  all  of  you  may  have  a  holiday. 
Run  away  and  play  in  the  garden  !  " 

After  sending  her  two  special  charges  into  the  next 
room,  and  looking  around  with  suspicious  eyes  that  no 
eavesdropper  was  lingering  behind,  she  lowered  her 
voice  and  half-whispered  to  her  husband  : 

"  When  you  came  in  you  looked  so  harassed  and 
troubled,  but  since  you  have  seen  that  boy,  your  de- 
meanour has  suddenly  undergone  a  complete  change. 
What  can  be  the  reason  for  this  ?  Something  un- 
expected must  have  happened  !  Won't  you  let  me 
share  the  secret  ?  " 

"  It  is  quite  natural  that  I  should  have  been  so 
perplexed  and  dumbfounded,"  answered  Takebe. 
"  To  deceive  me  they  pretended  to  be  giving  a  feast, 
and  invited  me  to  the  residence  of  the  village  mayor, 
but  when  I  arrived  I  soon  found  the  feast  was  all  a 
myth,  and  the  house  was  in  the  occupation  of  Shundo 
Gemba,  vassal  of  Tokihira,  and  another  man,  Matsuo 
by  name,  who  is  under  great  obligations  of  gratitude 
to  the  ex-Prime  Minister,  but  who  has  deserted  the 
house  of  Sugawara,  and  now  shamefully  serves  the 
enemy,  Tokihira.  It  seems  as  though  he  must  have 
been  appointed  to  examine  the  head  of  our  young  lord, 
for  it  has  leaked  out  that  he  is  here  under  our  guardian- 
ship, and  Tokihira  has  ordered  him  to  be  beheaded. 
These  two  men,  with  some  hundred  followers,  sur- 
rounded me  in  a  hostile  manner,  with  this  threat : 
200 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

"  We  have  received  information  that  you  are  secret- 
ing the  only  son  of  the  ex- Prime  Minister  in  your  house, 
disguised  as  your  own  child.  Unless  you  kill  him  at 
once  and  bring  his  head  to  us,  we  will  attack  you  and 
slay  him  ourselves. 

"  As  no  alternative  was  left  me,  I  was  compelled  to 
pretend  to  assent  to  their  proposal.  I  thought  that 
amongst  our  pupils  surely  there  would  be  one  suffi- 
ciently like  to  be  sacrificed  in  his  stead,  but  when  I 
came  home  and  was  confronted  by  all  that  row  of 
plebian  faces,  it  was  an  obvious  fact  that  not  a  single 
one  would  answer  the  purpose.  All  those  young  boors 
are  of  a  common  and  vulgar  type,  and  as  unlike  as 
possible  to  the  aristocratic  face  and  noble  bearing  of 
our  palace-reared  boy.  Despair  seized  me,  but — 
when  I  saw  the  new  pupil — it  seemed  as  if  he  had  been 
specially  sent  by  Providence  as  a  substitute.  The 
difference  between  them  is  not  so  great  as  that  between 
a  crow  and  a  white  heron.  If  I  can  deceive  them  but 
for  a  short  time  with  that  boy's  head,  I  intend  to 
escape  to  Kawachi  with  the  young  prince." 

His  wife  broke  in  : 

"  But  that  man,  Matsuo,  has  known  Kanshusai  in- 
timately since  he  was  three  years  old.  How  could  he 
be  deceived  ?  " 

"  There  lies  the  difficulty,"  said  Genzo,  "  but  after 
death  faces  always  change  to  some  extent,  and  as 
Kotaro  unmistakably  bears  some  resemblance  to  our 
young  master,  even  Matsuo  may  be  deceived.  At  any 
rate  we  will  risk  it.     In  the  event  that  the  ruse  is  dis- 

201 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

covered,  I  am  determined  to  kill  Matsuo  at  once,  and 
try  to  cut  my  way  through  the  guards  as  best  I  can, 
but  if  they  are  too  strong  for  me,  I  will  die  with  the 
young  prince.  Such  is  my  decision,  but  the  chief 
anxiety  at  present  is  concerning  the  mother  of  that 
boy.  If  she  should  come  back  before  this  can  be 
achieved,  what  course  of  action  can  we  decide 
on  ?  " 

"  Leave  her  to  me  !  I  will  try  to  throw  dust  in  her 
eyes  !  "  suggested  Tonami. 

"  No,  no,  that  won't  do — a  great  plan  often  fails 
through  some  small  mistake."  Then,  after  a 
moment's  reflection,  he  added,  "  Oh,  well — I  suppose 
she  must  die,  too  !  " 

"  What !  "  cried  his  wife,  in  alarm. 

"  Be  quiet,"  admonished  her  husband.  "  For  the 
young  lord's  sake  we  must  stop  at  nothing.  It  is  for 
our  master's  sake,  remember  that !  " 

"  Yes,  yes,  if  we  are  weak  we  shall  fail  in  our  great 
scheme.  Let  us  become  devils.  There  is  not  much 
difference  between  pupils  and  one's  own  children. 
That  boy  became  our  pupil  at  this  critical  moment — 
heaven  must  have  delivered  him  into  our  hands  as  the 
result  of  his  mother's  sin  in  a  former  existence.  Oh, 
well  !  the  same  fate  may  overtake  us  before  long — " 
At  this  point  their  pent-up  feelings  gave  way,  and  both 
of  them  shed  tears. 

Shortly  afterwards  Gemba  and  Matsuo  arrived  at 
the  gate.  They  were  closely  followed  by  a  number  of 
villagers,  the  parents  of  the  common  pupils  in  the 
202 


it 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

school.  In  great  excitement,  one  and  all  were  loudly 
clamouring  for  the  safety  of  their  own  children. 

Matsuo  almost  laughed.  The  situation  was  one  of 
such  grim  comedy.  Each  peasant  evidently  thought 
his  own  son  might  easily  pass  for  the  young  aristocrat  ! 
Oh,  mine  is  a  beautiful  boy,"  shouted  one  man. 

You  mustn't  make  any  mistake  between  my  son 
and  the  real  victim.  Give  me  my  boy — "  he  turned 
fiercely  to  Gemba. 

"  You  need  have  no  apprehension  whatever  re- 
garding your  children,"  said  Gemba,  calmly  addressing 
the  alarmed  parents,  who  now  squatted  on  the  ground 
with  their  heads  bowed  in  the  dust,  "  if  you  want  them, 
you  are  at  liberty  to  take  them  away  at  once  !  " 

Matsuo,  who  was  in  a  kago*  here  stepped  out,  using 
his  long  sword  as  a  stick  to  lean  upon.  Both  he  and 
Gemba  sat  on  stools,  which  their  attendants  placed 
ready. 

"  Just  wait  a  little,"  said  he — "  we  cannot  be  too 
careful  even  with  these  villagers.  The  reason  why  I 
accepted  the  office  of  examiner  is  because  there  is  no 
one  else  who  knows  the  young  prince's  head  as  well 
as  I  do.  These  people  allowed  the  young  Sugawara  to 
live  in  this  village,  so  very  likely  they  may  have 
sympathy  with  the  ex-Prime  Minister  and  may  claim 
his  son  now,  pretending  that  he  is  one  of  their  own 
family,  and  so  aid  him  to  escape  !     Who  knows  ?  ' 

Then,  turning  to  the  agitated  peasants,  he  said  to 
them, "  Now,  my  men,  you  may  call  out  your  children's 

*  Kago,  a  palanquin. 

203 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

names  one  by  one.  I  will  examine  each  face  carefully. 
Your  own  boys  shall  be  safely  restored  to  you,  rest 
assured  of  that !  " 

The  schoolmaster  and  his  wife,  from  the  house, 
overheard  all  that  was  going  on,  and  Matsuo's  deter- 
mined and  arrogant  demeanour  only  served  to  in- 
tensify their  fears.  It  was  going  to  be  even  more 
difficult  than  they  had  apprehended. 

An  elderly  man  came  forward,  and  in  a  loud  voice, 
called  out : 

"  Chomatsu,  Chomatsu  !  " 

In  answer,  an  ill-favoured,  pock-marked  boy  ran 
out,  his  face  covered  with  smudges  of  Indian  ink. 

Matsuo  glanced  at  him. 

"  The  difference  is  as  great  as  between  snow  and 
charcoal.  He  may  go  !  "  In  turn,  all  the  rest  of  the 
pupils  were  searchingly  inspected,  but  not  one  bore 
the  slightest  resemblance  to  the  ill-fated  Kanshusai. 
When  the  pacified  villagers  had  carried  away  all  their 
offspring  in  triumph,  Gemba  and  Matsuo  entered  the 
schoolmaster's  house. 

"  Genzo  !  "  began  Gemba,  in  tones  of  authority, 
"  you  promised  to  behead  the  young  Sugawara — I 
will  receive  that  head  now  !  " 

Without  betraying  the  least  sign  of  feeling,  Genzo 
replied  : 

"  Yes,  but  he  is  the  son  of  the  ex-Prime  Minister. 
We  cannot  slaughter  him  like  a  common  boy.  Please 
wait  for  a  short  time  !  " 

"  Oh,  you  cannot  deceive  us,"  said  Matsuo,  quickly. 
204 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

"  Dallying  in  this  way  is  merely  pretext  for  gaining 
time.  But  it  is  useless  for  you  to  attempt  to  dis- 
appear now,  the  rear  of  the  house  is  guarded  by  some 
hundred  men,  and  there  is  no  room  even  for  an  ant  to 
escape.  You  may  produce  a  substitute  head,  with 
the  explanation  that  a  dead  and  a  living  face  have  a 
different  appearance.  I  shall  not  be  taken  in  by  a 
subterfuge.  Such  tricks  on  your  part  will  only  lead 
to  repentance  !  " 

This  last  thrust  hit  Genzo  hard,  but  he  did  not  lose 
his  self-possession  and  answered  Matsuo  quietly, 

"  What  a  far-fetched  idea  !  Your  eyes,  after  your 
long  illness,  may  not  be  able  to  see  things  clearly, 
but  I  will  surely  give  you  the  head  of  the  young  lord 
you  demand." 

"  Before  your  tongue  is  dry,"  exclaimed  Gemba, 
impatiently,  "  behead  him  at  once  !  " 

"  It  shall  be  done  !  "  replied  Takebe,  and  went  into 
an  inner  room.  His  wife,  who  had  listened  to  all  that 
transpired,  was  in  an  agony  of  anxiety,  pale  and 
trembling.  Matsuo,  with  sharp  eyes,  was  looking 
round  the  room. 

"  It  is  rather  mysterious,"  he  said,  suddenly,  "  eight 
pupils  have  gone  home,  and  yet,  there  are  nine  desks. 
What  has  become  of  the  owner  of  that  extra  desk  ?  " 

Tonami  started.  She  began  to  explain  that  there 
was  a  new  pupil.  Matsuo  saw  her  vacillation.  In  an 
undertone,  he  said  :  "  What  a  fool  you  are  !  Keep 
quiet  !  "  Then,  realizing  how  fatal  such  a  mistake 
would  be — Tonami  collected  herself  and  managed  to 

205 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

stammer  out.  "  That  is  the  young  Sugawara's 
desk  !  " 

But  her  confusion  had  been  noticed  by  the  enemy. 
Gemba  started  to  his  feet  and  shouted  in  furious  tones, 

"  This  trifling  will  cause  the  frustration  of  our 
plans  !  " 

At  that  moment  the  sound  of  a  sword  broke  the 
silence  as  it  fell  swishing  through  the  air,  the  screens 
of  the  room  shook,  and  before  Matsuo  and  Gemba 
could  reach  the  partition  which  separated  the  inner 
from  the  outer  room,  Takebe  appeared,  carrying  a 
white  wooden  tray.  A  cover  hid  what  was  beneath, 
but  a  thin  trail  of  crimson  blood  was  ominously 
oozing  from  the  edge.  Kneeling  on  the  mats  before 
the  two  men,  he  placed  his  ghastly  burden  before 
them. 

"  There  was  no  alternative,  so  I  was  forced  to  be- 
head the  young  lord.  May  Heaven  forgive  me  !  As 
it  is  a  matter  of  such  importance  that  there  should  be 
no  mistake — please  examine  it  carefully." 

With  these  words,  Takebe's  hand  stealthily  fell  upon 
his  sword-hilt.  Every  fibre  was  on  the  alert  to  cut 
down  Matsuo  the  moment  he  realized  the  deception 
that  had  been  practised  on  him. 

"  I  will  certainly  do  so,"  replied  Matsuo,  non- 
chalantly, then,  addressing  some  of  the  soldiers  who 
had  followed  him  into  the  room,  he  peremptorily  gave 
them  the  command  : 

"  Now  surround  the  Takebe  couple  !  " 

From  the  rear  of  the  house  several  guards  entered 
206 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

and  took  up  their  posts  at  the  porch,  and  just  behind 
Genzo  and  his  wife. 

The  strain  was  almost  too  great  for  the  poor  woman, 
and  she  was  well-nigh  fainting  with  the  sickening  un- 
certainty of  what  might  be  the  last  act  of  that  dreadful 
drama.  Gemba,  looking  on,  took  note  keenly  of  the 
proceedings. 

Everything  hung  on  Matsuo's  decision.  The  sus- 
pense of  the  moment  was  agonizing  in  its  intensity. 

He  slowly  lifted  the  blood-rimmed  cover  from  the 
wooden  tray.  A  boy's  decapitated  head  was  exposed 
to  view.     It  was  the  head  of  little  Kotaro. 

Takebe's  eyes  were  riveted  on  Matsuo.  Defiantly 
he  swore  that  Matsuo  should  draw  his  last  breath  the 
moment  he  declared  the  head  to  be  a  subterfuge. 
As  a  tiger  ready  to  spring  on  its  prey,  the  desperate 
man  watched  the  judge  on  whose  next  word  hung  all 
their  lives. 

Tonami  was  praying  to  the  Gods  in  silent  fervour 
that  the  truth  might  not  be  discovered,  tremblingly 
she  clutched  a  short  sword  hidden  beneath  her  robe, 
which  her  husband  had  surreptitiously  handed  her,  in 
preparation  for  the  worst. 

Matsuo  deliberately  examined  the  head  of  his  own 
son — carefully  and  searchingly  from  every  side  he 
scrutinized  the  little  face,  now  so  still  and  pallid, 
sometimes  his  eyes  blinked  to  hide  the  gathering  tears, 
and  once  his  face  contracted  with  pain,  but  at  last 
he  loudly  pronounced  the  momentous  verdict  : 

"  Oh,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  this  is  the  head  of 

207 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

Kanshusai,  the  son  of  the  Lord  Sugawara."  Triumph, 
at  the  success  of  his  loyal  plot,  conquered  every  other 
feeling  and  he  slammed  the  lid  back  into  place. 

Gemba,  delighted  that  there  had  been  no  mistake, 
and  that  the  gruesome  commission  had  been  success- 
fully carried  out,  accorded  words  of  praise  to  Takebe 
for  beheading  the  boy. 

"  As  a  reward  for  this  deed,  you  will  be  pardoned 
for  harbouring  him  so  long  !  Let  us  hasten  to  take 
the  head  to  Lord  Tokihira,"  he  said,  turning  to  Matsuo. 

"  Yes,  it  is  better  that  no  time  should  be  lost," 
responded  the  latter,  "  but  as  my  duty  is  now  finished, 
may  I  request  to  be  discharged  on  sick  leave  ?  " 

"  Certainly,"  Gemba  replied,  "  as  your  mission  is 
satisfactorily  concluded,  you  may  go." 

He  then  took  up  the  tray  with  the  bleeding  head, 
strode  to  the  door,  and  calling  his  attendants,  pom- 
pously set  out  at  once  for  Tokihira's  palace.  Outside 
the  gate  he  stopped  and  mockingly  addressed  Takebe  : 
"  Ha,  ha,  ha  !  "  he  laughed,  "  though  you  take  great 
care  of  the  boy  usually,  when  your  own  life  is  in  danger 
you  do  not  fail  to  cut  off  his  head  !  ha,  ha,  ha  !  " 
and  the  cruel  man,  with  this  parting  sneer,  went  on 
his  ruthless  way.  Matsuo  silently  followed  him  out 
of  the  house  and  got  into  his  kago. 

The  husband  and  wife,  now  that  they  were  left  alone, 
were  quite  exhausted  from  the  emotion  and  stress  of 
the  past  hour.  They  went  out  and  closed  the  gates. 
Both  were  speechless  with  joy  for  some  minutes. 
The  master,  sighing  with  relief,  bowed  his  head  and 
208 


"  This  is  the  head  of  Kanshusai,  the  son  of  the  Lord  Sugawara  ! 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

turned  to  the  four  points  of  the  compass,  silently 
returning  thanks  to  the  deities  whose  help  he  had 
invoked. 

"  Oh,  Heaven  be  praised  !  "  he  exclaimed  at  last. 
"  The  Gods  have  accorded  their  mighty  aid  to  our  cause 
and  mercifully  caused  Matsuo's  eyes  to  be  dimmed, 
so  that  he  mistook  the  other  boy's  head  for  that  of  our 
young  prince.  Heaven  has  clearly  interposed  to  help 
our  lord.     Let  us  rejoice,  my  wife  !  " 

"  Yes,  yes,"  she  answered,  "  what  a  terrible  strain 
it  has  been  !  In  some  unfathomable  way  the  spirit 
of  our  lord  must  have  cast  a  veil  over  Matsuo's  eyes, 
or  that  head  may  have  become  a  golden  Buddha  to 
help  our  cause.  Though  there  was  a  slight  resem- 
blance between  the  two  boys,  yet  they  differ  in  reality 
as  much  as  brick  from  gold.  I  was  so  transported  at 
the  success  of  our  plan,  that  I  almost  wept  aloud  with 
the  poignancy  of  joy  when  I  saw  that  Matsuo  was 
deceived." 

When  the  loyal  couple  had  given  vent  to  their  feel- 
ings, simultaneously  they  rushed  to  the  side-room, 
where  they  had  concealed  their  precious  charge.  The 
one  from  the  side  and  the  other  from  the  front  pushed 
aside  the  screens.  Genzo  then  raised  one  of  the  tatami 
(a  padded  mat  three  feet  by  six  feet),  disclosing  a 
cavity  in  the  floor,  out  of  which  rose  up  the  aristo- 
cratic form  of  Kanshusai,  safe  and  untouched  by  his 
enemies.     They  gazed  at  him  in  silence — overwhelmed. 

Suddenly,  a  knocking  at  the  gate  and  the  voice  of 
Kotaro's  mother  disturbed  them. 

o  209 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

"  I  am  the  mother  of  the  new  pupil.     Let  me  in  !  ' 

Startled,  they  hastily  closed  the  screens.  At  this 
turn  of  events  Tonami  was  at  her  wits'  end,  and  knew 
not  what  to  do  for  the  best.  She  ran  to  and  fro  across 
the  room  like  one  demented. 

Seeing  that  Tonami  was  losing  her  self-control  and 
was  about  to  burst  out  into  excited  speech,  her  hus- 
band enveloped  his  hand  in  the  sleeve  of  his  robe  and 
covered  her  mouth.  He  held  her  still  with  grim 
determination. 

"  Remember  what  I  said  a  short  time  ago.  It  means 
simply  this — nothing  is  so  precious  as  our  young  lord. 
You  weak  creature  !  "  he  added,  with  disdain,  as  he 
saw  his  wife's  trepidation.  Then  he  turned  and  went 
to  the  entrance. 

"  I  fear  my  naughty  boy  must  be  giving  you  a  great 
deal  of  trouble,"  said  the  new-comer,  as  Takebe  let 
her  in,  "  but  what  has  become  of  him  now  ?  " 

To  gain  time,  Takebe  replied,  little  knowing  that  he 
was  confronted  by  a  soul  as  strong  in  loyalty  to  the 
Sugawara  as  his  own  : 

"  He  is  in  the  house  playing  with  the  other  children 
— school  is  over  for  to-day,  so  you  must  take  him  back 
with  you." 

"  Very  well,"  she  assented,  and  started  towards  the 
house. 

Directly  her  back  was  turned,  Takebe  drew  his  sword 
and  tried  to  cut  her  down  from  behind.  O  Chiyo, 
a  samurai  woman,  was  a  trained  fencer.  She  swiftly 
comprehended  the  meaning  of  Takebe's  movement, 
210 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

even  before  he  drew  his  sword,  the  sound,  as  it  left 
its  sheath,  confirming  what  her  alert  senses  divined. 
Quick  as  lightning  she  darted  aside,  barely  escaping 
the  deadly  weapon  as  it  tried  to  compass  her  destruc- 
tion. Again  and  again  the  desperate  man  thrust  at 
her.  All  would  be  lost  even  now,  if  this  woman  dis- 
covered that  her  boy  had  been  slain  to  save  their 
lord's  son.  With  a  box  which  she  carried  in  her  hand, 
O  Chiyo  skilfully  parried  the  blows. 

"  Wait,  wait !  What  is  the  matter  ?  "  she  gasped 
out.  But  her  frenzied  antagonist  was  far  too  excited 
to  listen,  and  he  struck  out  with  such  good-will  that 
the  box,  which  served  her  as  a  shield,  was  speedily 
cut  in  two,  and  there  appeared,  unfolding  and  flutter- 
ing in  the  breeze  as  they  fell,  a  little  winding  sheet, 
and  a  sacred  banner  used  for  the  dead,  bearing  in 
black  hieroglyphics,  the  inscription,  "  Namu  Amida 
Butsu  !  "  (All  hail,  Great  Buddha  !) 

Takebe's  hand  was  paralyzed  by  this  unexpected 
apparition.  Bewildered  as  to  what  this  could  mean, 
he  glanced  inquiringly  at  O  Chiyo. 

"  Was  my  boy  considered  worthy  to  take  the  place 
of  our  young  lord  or  not  ?  "  she  asked,  meeting  his  gaze 
steadily  with  her  clear  eyes.     "  Tell  me  the  truth  !  " 

At  such  totally  unlooked-for  words,  Takebe  was 
confounded  more  than  ever.  Was  it  possible  that  the 
enemy  he  was  seeking  to  destroy  had  unexpectedly 
become  a  friend  ? 

"  Oh,  oh  !  "  he  stammered,  "  Did  you  understand 
and  anticipate  all  this  ?  " 

211 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

"  Yes,  of  course,"  answered  the  brave  mother. 
"  As  I  anticipated  everything,  I  prepared  and  brought 
these  things  in  Kotaro's  box." 

"  Whose  wife  are  you  ?  "  cried  the  astonished  man, 
as  he  sheathed  his  sword. 

Before  she  could  answer  a  voice  from  outside  the 
gate  chanted  a  poem  : 

Ume  *  wa  tobi 
Sakura  f  wa  karuru 

Tono  naka  ni 
Nani  tote  Matsu  X  wa 

Tsure  na  kakuran. 

In  my  service 
Plum  blossom  has  fled 

The  Cherry  has  withered 
How  then  can  the  Pine  be 

Heartless  to  me  ? 

"  Rejoice,  my  wife  !  Our  boy  has  done  his  duty  !  " 
When  these  brief  words  conveyed  to  the  heroic  woman 
that  the  sacrifice  had  been  consummated  in  the  tragic 
fate  of  her  cherished  son,  her  brave  spirit  failed  her, 
and  she  fell  unconscious  to  the  ground. 

"  What  a  poor  creature  you  are  !  "  exclaimed  her 
husband,  as  he  entered  the  room. 

At  the  unexpected  arrival  of  Matsuo,  the  school- 
master and  his  wife  were  more  confused  than  ever, 

*  Matsu,  the  first  hieroglyphic  of  Matsuo's  name.  Ume  (plum 
blossom),  and  Sakura  (cherry),  were  the  names  of  Matsuo's 
brothers. 

212 


The  box,  which  served  her  as  a  shield,  was  speedily  cut  in  two,  and 
there  appeared,  unfolding  and  fluttering  in  the  breeze,  a  little  winding- 
sheet  and  a  sacred  banner  for  the  dead 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

but  with  an  effort  Takebe  attempted  to  regain  his 
self-possession. 

"  I  will  use  more  ceremonious  speech  afterwards. 
You  Matsuo,  whom  we  all  believed  a  traitor  to  behave 
like  this !     What  is  the  meaning  of  it  all  ?  " 

"  It  is  quite  natural  that  you  cannot  understand. 
We  were  three  brothers.  All  were  faithful  vassals  of 
Michizane,  the  Minister  of  the  Right,  to  whom  my 
family  was  deeply  indebted.  I,  Matsuo,  latterly 
entered  the  service  of  Tokihira,  and  on  this  account 
I  was  disowned  by  my  father.  I  dissimulated  thus,  the 
better  to  serve  Lord  Sugawara.  However,  the  position 
proved  intolerable,  and  to  get  my  dismissal  I  feigned 
illness.  It  was  at  this  juncture  that  the  news  of  where 
Kanshusai  was  concealed  reached  the  ears  of  Tokihira. 
A  messenger  informed  me  that  I  would  be  released 
from  office  if  I  would  undertake  the  mission  of  se- 
curing the  head  of  our  young  lord.  I  felt  sure  that 
you  would  never  commit  such  a  crime,  but  if  no  sub- 
stitute could  be  procured  I  knew  that  you  would  be 
desperate.  Thinking  that  the  time  had  come  to  repay 
the  debt  of  gratitude  to  our  generous  benefactor,  I 
consulted  with  my  wife,  and  we  sent  our  own  boy 
to  take  the  place  of  his  son.  That  is  why  I  counted 
the  number  of  desks,  to  see  if  he  were  already  here  or 
not.  Lord  Sugawara  composed  the  poem  I  quoted 
just  now,  showing  his  discernment  of  my  character. 
In  that  poem  he  asks,  '  How  can  the  pine  be  heartless 
towards  me  ?  '  But  the  world,  in  general,  interpreted 
those   lines   in   a   contrary   sense,   and   everyone   de- 

213 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

nounced  me  as  a  cowardly  deserter.  You  may 
imagine,  Genzo,  how  I  resented  this.  If  I  had  had 
no  son,  I  must  have  passed  as  a  traitor  all  my  life. 
There  is  no  possession  so  precious  as  a  son." 

O  Chiyo,  who  had  meanwhile  recovered  from  her 
faint,  was  intently  listening  to  her  husband's  explana- 
tions with  a  composed  demeanour.  But  at  these 
words  she  could  restrain  her  emotion  no  longer,  and 
sobbed  aloud. 

"  Oh,  how  our  Kotaro  must  rejoice  although  in 
another  world,  to  hear  such  sentiments  from  his  father. 
Those  words  are  his  best  requiem.  When  I  left  him 
a  short  time  ago,  he  looked  unusually  sad — for  his 
childish  mind  understood  that  he  was  about  to  die. 
I  intended  to  go  home  and  deceive  him,  saying  that 
I  was  going  to  the  next  village  and  would  return  soon. 
But  I  could  not  go  home.  Oh  !  the  yearning  to  see 
even  his  dead  face  once  more  was  so  great  that  I 
came  back.  You  may  scoff  at  my  weakness,  but  my 
sorrow  is  well-nigh  unendurable.  Had  our  Kotaro 
been  born  ugly,  and  brought  up  as  a  common  child, 
he  might  not  have  suffered  such  a  death.  But  as  he 
was  beautiful,  obedient,  and  good,  he  was  chosen  for 
the  sacrifice.  Could  I  have  known  his  untimely  fate 
I  would  never  have  found  fault  with  him.  Oh,  my 
son,  my  little,  little  son  !  " 

And  the  poor  woman,  overcome  with  the  poignancy 
of  her  grief  and  the  bitterness  of  her  renunciation, 
fell  with  her  face  to  the  mats,  trying  to  suppress  the 
rending  sobs  which  seemed  to  tear  her  breast  asunder. 
214 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

Here  Tonami  came  close  to  the  sorrowing  mother 
and  murmured  in  tones  of  sympathy  : 

"  Only  a  short  hour  ago,  when  my  husband  had 
decided  that  he  should  be  the  substitute  for  the  young 
prince,  Kotaro  came  up  to  him  and  said,  innocently, 
'  Master,  please  take  care  of  me  ! '  When  I  think^of 
this,  though  I  am  but  a  stranger,  I  feel  as  if  my  heart 
would  break.  I  can  imagine  how  desolate  his  true 
mother  must  be  to  lose  such  a  sweet  child,"  and  the 
tears  fell  from  her  eyes. 

"  No,  no,  Tonami !  No,  no,  my  wife  !  You  must 
not  weep.  It  was  our  own  decision  to  let  him  die  in 
the  place  of  our  young  lord.  You,  O  Chiyo,  ought  to 
be  ashamed  to  give  way  like  this  before  strangers. 
But,"  and  Matsuo  turned  anxiously  to  Takebe, 
"  although  I  carefully  explained  to  my  boy  the  reason 
for  his  fate,  and  how  he  should  die  with  dignity,  tell 
me,  did  he  meet  death  in  a  miserable  way,  or  did 
he  die  like  a  samurai  ?  " 

"  Yes,  oh,  yes  !  "  Takebe  quickly  replied.  "  When 
I  told  the  brave  boy  that  his  head  must  be  cut 
off  to  save  our  young  lord,  the  child  of  his  bene- 
factor, he  calmly  and  courageously,  without  a 
word,  placed  his  neck  in  readiness  for  the  sword — 
he  did  not  attempt  either  to  hide  or  to  escape 
from  his  impending  doom.  You  must  have  taught 
him  well — he  even  smiled  at  the  last — rest  assured 
of  that !  " 

The  schoolmaster  could  say  no  more,  with  strong 
restraint  he  tried  to  hide  his  feelings  and  pretended 

215 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

to  laugh,  but  the  forced  mirth  ended  with  a  choking 
sound  in  his  throat. 

At  this  point  the  stoic  father  broke  down  and  wept, 
and  as  he  wiped  away  the  slow  tears,  he  said,  in  a  low 
voice  :  "  He  was  both  good  and  clever,  was  our  little 
Kotaro.  Even  at  the  age  of  nine  he  takes  the  place 
of  his  parents  to  prove  our  gratitude  to  our  lord.  He 
is  a  filial  child — a  fortunate  child  to  be  able  to  do  that  ! 
The  more  I  think  of  it  the  more  it  recalls  my  brother, 
Sakura  Maru.  He  died  without  being  able  to  make 
any  return  for  the  obligation  he  was  under  to  his  lord. 
How  he  must  envy  our  boy  !  " 

"  Oh,  Kotaro  soon  followed  him  to  another  world  !  " 
wailed  O  Chiyo,  and  with  these  words  she  burst  into 
another  paroxysm  of  grief. 

The  young  Sugawara,  the  innocent  cause  of  this 
tragedy,  overhearing  the  poor  mother's  heart-rending 
sobs,  came  out  from  an  inner  room,  pale  and  awe- 
stricken  : 

"  If  I  had  only  known  that  he  was  going  to  die  for 
me,  I  would  not  have  allowed  it — oh — how  sad  ! 
how  sad  !  "  he  exclaimed,  and  with  his  long  sleeve,  he 
wiped  away  the  tears  from  his  eyes. 

Matsuo  and  his  wife  turned  and  bowed  to  the  little 
fellow  while  he  spoke.  For  this  boy's  sake  their 
family  must  sink  into  oblivion  and  nothingness,  and 
be  no  longer  remembered  among  the  living  ;  for  his 
sake  there  would  be  no  one  to  keep  up  the  rites  of  the 
dead  before  their  ancestors'  tombs  or  their  own,  when 
they  should  be  no  more.  On  this  altar  of  loyalty  to 
216 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

his  father's  house  they  had  offered  all  that  this  world 
held  for  them  of  joy,  hope,  and  ambition.  On  this 
altar  they  had  laid  up  for  themselves  a  cheerless, 
desolate,  childless  old  age.  To  this  sublime  ideal  of 
duty,  unhesitatingly,  unflinchingly,  regardless  of  them- 
selves and  the  acuteness  of  their  sufferings,  these 
simple  martyr-souls  had  made  this  great  renunciation. 
That  the  young  lord  should  realize  this  sacrifice  they 
had  not  in  the  least  expected.  His  words  surprised 
them.  It  was  balm  to  their  stricken  hearts,  that  even 
in  some  small  measure  he  could  appreciate  what  they 
had  done  for  him. 

Then  Matsuo  rose  and  went  to  the  porch. 

"  I  have  brought  a  present  for  our  young  master," 
and  with  a  whistle,  he  summoned  a  kago  that  had  been 
waiting  in  the  garden.  As  soon  as  the  bearers  set  it 
down  out  stepped  the  Lady  Sugawara. 

"  Oh,  my  mother  !  My  mother  !  "  almost  shouted 
the  boy,  as  she  quickly  entered  the  house,  her  long 
mantle  of  gold  brocade  and  crimson  linings  flashing 
colour  as  she  moved. 

"  Oh,  my  son,  my  beloved  son  !  "  cried  the  over- 
joyed mother,  folding  the  child  to  her  heart. 

The  schoolmaster  and  his  wife  exclaimed  with  joy 
when  they  realized  the  identity  of  the  new-comer 
After  their  respectful  greetings,  Takebe  said  : 

"  I  have  been  long  striving  to  discover  your  hiding 
place.  Where  can  your  ladyship  have  taken  refuge 
all  this  time  ?  " 

Matsuo  answered  for  her  : 

217 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

"  When  her  ladyship  was  hiding  in  the  suburbs, 
Tokihira's  retainers  got  scent  of  her  retreat  and  nearly- 
succeeded  in  taking  her  prisoner.  Knowing  her  danger 
I  disguised  myself  as  a  yamabushi*  and  managed  to 
rescue  her  just  in  time,  so  she  has  been  concealed  in 
my  house  ever  since.  Without  delay  you  must  now 
escort  her  and  Kanshusai  to  Kawachi,f  so  that  they 
may  once  more  be  a  united  family,  safe  from  the 
pursuit  of  their  enemies." 

Then,  turning  to  his  wife,  he  added,  "  Now  let  us 
carry  home  the  body  of  Kotaro  and  begin  the  prepara- 
tions for  his  funeral  rites." 

But  before  O  Chiyo  could  answer,  Tonami  reverently 
carried  the  headless  body  of  the  slain  child  to  the  kago. 
O  Chiyo  followed,  and  kneeling,  placed  over  Kotaro 
the  white  shroud  and  the  sacred  banner. 

Matsuo  and  his  wife  then  took  off  their  outer  robes, 
revealing  the  white  garments  of  ceremonial  mourning 
in  readiness  for  the  obsequies.  Takebe  and  his  wife 
made  a  gesture  of  surprise  and  deprecation. 

"  It  is  against  custom  that  parents  should  attend 
the  funeral  of  their  own  son.  Let  us  spare  you  this 
trial — we  will  do  everything  in  your  place  !  "  they 
cried. 

"  No,  no,"  said  Matsuo,  loyal  unto  death,  even  the 
death  of  his  only  son  for  the  sake  of  his  lord,  "  this  is 
not  the  body  of  my  boy.  We  are  going  to  bury  our 
young  lord  !  " 

*   Yamabushi,  a  wandering  priest. 

f  Kawachi :  where  the  friends  of  Sugawara  were  the  strongest. 

218 


'  No,  no,"  said  Matsuo  ..."  this  is  not  the  body  of  my  hoy.     We 
going  to  bury  our  young  lord  !  " 


are 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

With  these  words,  Matsuo  and  his  wife  took  their 
farewells.  Then,  turning  in  silence,  they  followed 
the  impromptu  bier  which  bore  all  that  was  left  to 
them  of  their  well-beloved  child,  and  with  bowed  heads 
reverently  wended  their  way  towards  their  now  deso- 
late and  empty  home.  Lady  •  Sugawara,  her  son, 
Genzo  and  Tonami,  with  tears  falling  from  their  eyes, 
watched  the  little  procession  slowly  disappear  down 
the  road  into  the  deepening  shadows  of  the  night. 

Note. — "  The  memory  of  the  unfortunate  statesman, 
Sugawara-no-Michizane,  is  surrounded  by  a  halo  of  romance 
which  affords  an  insight  into  Japanese  character.  He  be- 
longed to  an  ancient  family  of  professional  litterateurs,  and 
had  none  of  the  titles  which  in  that  age  were  commonly 
considered  essential  to  official  preferment.  By  extraordi- 
nary scholarship,  singular  sweetness  of  disposition,  and 
unswerving  fidelity  to  justice  and  truth  he  won  a  high  reputa- 
tion, and  had  he  been  content  with  the  fame  his  writings 
brought  him,  and  with  promoting  the  cause  of  scholarship, 
through  the  medium  of  a  school  which  he  endowed,  he  might 
have  ended  his  days  in  peace.  But,  in  an  evil  hour,  he 
accepted  office,  and  thus  found  himself  required  to  discharge 
the  duties  of  statesmanship  at  a  time  of  extreme  difficulty, 
when  an  immense  interval  separated  the  rich  and  the  poor, 
when  the  arbitrariness  and  extortions  of  the  local  governors 
had  become  a  burning  question,  when  the  nobles  and  the 
princes  were  crushing  the  people  with  merciless  taxes,  and 
when  the  finances  of  the  Court  were  in  extreme  disorder. 
Michizane,  a  gentle  conservative,  was  not  fitted  to  cope  with 
these  difficulties,  and  his  situation  at  Court  was  complicated 
by  the  favour  of  an  ex-Emperor  (Uda)  who  had  abdicated 
but  still  sought  to  take  part  in  the  administration,  and  by 

219 


Loyal,  Even  Unto  Death 

the  jealousy  of  the  Fujiwara  representative,  Tokihira,  a 
young,  impetuous,  arrogant,  but  highly  gifted  nobleman. 
These  two  men,  Michizane  and  Tokihira,  became  the  central 
figures  in  a  very  unequal  struggle,  the  forces  on  the  one  side 
being  the  whole  Fujiwara  clan,  headed  by  the  unscrupulously 
daring  and  ambitious  Tokihira  ;  those  on  the  other,  a  few 
scholars,  the  love  and  respect  of  the  lower  orders,  and  the 
benevolent  tolerance  of  the  self-effacing  Michizane.  The  end 
was  inevitable.  Michizane,  falsely  accused  of  conspiring  to 
obtain  the  throne  for  his  grandson — an  Imperial  prince  had 
married  his  daughter — was  banished  to  Dazaifu,  and  his 
family  and  friends  were  either  killed  or  reduced  to  serfdom. 
The  story  is  not  remarkable.  It  contains  no  great  crises  or 
dazzling  incidents.  Yet  if  Michizane  had  been  the  most 
brilliant  statesman  and  the  most  successful  general  ever 
possessed  by  Japan,  his  name  could  not  have  been  handed 
down  through  all  generations  of  his  countrymen  with  greater 
veneration  and  affection." — Brinkley,  "  Japan  :  Its  History 
Arts  and  Literature,"  p.  256. 


220 


How  Kinu  Returned 
from  the  Grave 


How  Kinu  Returned 
from  the  Grave 


IN  the  good  old  days  of  long, long, ago, there  lived 
in  the  city  of  Osaka  a  rich  merchant.  Fortune 
had  smiled  upon  his  enterprises,  and  his  busi- 
ness prospered  tenfold,  until  he  possessed  in 
abundance  all  that  this  world  had  to  bestow  :  more- 
over, he  was  proud  in  the  possession  of  a  little  daughter, 
named  Kinu,  beautiful  as  a  ten-no-tsukai,  one  of  the 
angels  of  the  Buddhist  heaven  ;  her  fame  spread  far 
and  wide,  and  all  who  saw  her  marvelled  at  her  ex- 
ceeding loveliness. 

In  contrast  to  the  opulence  and  grandeur  of  this 
wealthy  man,  next  door,  in  a  poor  and  mean  house, 
there  dwelt  a  humble  vendor  of  tobacco,  who  was  also 
blessed  with  an  unusually  handsome  child,  a  boy 
named  Kunizo,  and  who  chanced  to  be  of  the  same 
age  as  his  little  neighbour. 

From  earliest  times  Kinu  and  Kunizo  were  accus- 
tomed to  play  together  almost  daily,  and  shared  all 
their  childish  joys  and  sorrows,  so  that  gradually  a 
deep  and  enduring  affection  sprang  up  between  the 
two.  All  who  saw  them  took  great  delight  in 
watching  the  grace  and  beauty  of  the  two  children, 
who  seemed  so  well  suited  to  each  other,  and  who 
made  a  perfect  picture  when  seen  together. 

As,  however,  the  little  playfellows  grew  older,  from 

223 


Kinu  Returns  from  the  Grave 

motives  of  prudence,  the  rich  merchant  and  his  wife 
sought  to  discourage  their  intimacy,  and  their  daughter 
was  gradually  removed  as  much  as  possible  from  the 
companionship  of  the  lowly  neighbour's  son. 

But  although  Kinu  and  Kunizo  could  no  longer 
enter  into  each  other's  daily  life  and  play  as  formerly, 
yet  the  strong  bond  of  sympathy  and  affection  that 
linked  them  together  never  grew  less,  and  silently 
within  their  hearts  they  cherished  the  remembrance 
of  all  the  happy  days  they  had  spent  in  each  other's 
company. 

At  last,  when  Kinu  reached  the  age  of  seventeen, 
her  beauty  and  charm  had  become  so  celebrated,  and 
the  merchant's  wealth  and  position  so  well  established 
in  the  city,  that  she  was  sought  in  marriage  by  the 
son  of  a  great  nobleman.  The  parents,  highly  elated 
at  the  distinction  of  such  a  lofty  alliance  for  their 
lovely  daughter,  immediately  gave  their  consent,  and 
all  preliminaries  were  speedily  arranged  for  the  nup- 
tials to  take  place  at  an  early  date. 

Just  at  that  time,  Kinu,  with  some  of  her  girl 
friends,  and  under  the  escort  of  her  old  nurse,  paid 
a  visit  to  the  theatre.  Her  mother,  expecting  her  to 
be  the  cynosure  of  all  eyes  as  the  bride-elect  of  the 
heir  of  a  well-known  noble  family,  attired  her  daughter 
in  the  most  exquisite  robes  that  could  possibly  be 
procured.  The  fashions  of  that  period  were  brilliant 
in  hue,  and  especially  suited  to  Kinu's  luxuriant 
beauty,  so  that  when  she  appeared  all  eyes  gazed 
with  admiration  and  envy  at  the  radiant  vision  ; 
224 


! 


From  earliest  times  Kinu  and  Kunizo  were  accustomed  to  play  together 


Kinu  Returns  from  the  Grave 

indeed,  the  audience  gazed  more  at  her  than  at  the 
play. 

How  inexorable  are  the  decrees  of  Destiny  !  That 
day  it  happened  that  Kunizo  also  visited  the  same 
theatre. 

From  his  humble  seat  in  the  pit,  his  eyes  followed 
the  direction  where  everyone  else  was  turning,  and  he 
soon  descried  his  former  friend  and  playfellow,  seated 
in  a  prominent  place  and  surrounded  by  friends  and 
attendants  as  befitting  her  approaching  exalted 
position. 

Kunizo  felt  a  great  impulse  to  go  and  speak  to  her, 
but  dared  not.  His  only  solace  was  to  gaze  with 
ardent  longing  at  the  lovely  apparition,  that  now  seemed 
as  far  removed  from  him  as  the  moth  from  the  star. 

Meanwhile,  it  was  not  long  before  Kinu  singled  out, 
from  amongst  the  sea  of  faces,  the  familiar  features 
of  her  dear  comrade  of  earlier  days,  and  their  glances 
were  soon  exchanging  reciprocally  tender  messages 
across  the  intervening  space. 

Memories  of  their  childhood's  friendship  had  long 
been  secretly  smouldering  in  their  hearts,  and  oppor- 
tunity alone  was  needed  to  fan  the  flame  into  un- 
quenchable passion. 

As  the  lovers  gazed  at  each  other  in  that  crowded 
place,  both  their  young  hearts  were  carried  away  be- 
yond the  bounds  of  time  and  circumstances,  and  they 
realized,  with  an  overwhelming  conviction,  how  strong 
were  the  golden  fetters  of  love  that  riveted  their  souls 
to  each  other  for  all  eternity. 

p  225 


Kinu  Returns  from  the  Grave 

That  night  Kunizo  returned  to  his  humble  home 
in  a  very  sad  and  downcast  frame  of  mind.  His 
thoughts  were  busily  contrasting  the  happy  times  of 
those  bygone  days,  when  he  could  frequently  enjoy 
the  society  of  his  beloved  Kinu,  with  now,  when,  as  he 
bitterly  reflected,  a  gulf  yawned  between  them,  as  im- 
passable as  that  which  separates  Heaven  from  Hell ! 

And,  brooding  over  the  miseries  of  an  unjust  world, 
poor  Kunizo  fell  sick,  and  was  confined  for  days  to  his 
room. 

Meanwhile,  the  beautiful  bride-elect  returned  to  her 
father's  mansion  with  her  heart  strangely  agitated. 
The  sight  of  his  handsome  face,  so  full  of  hopeless 
longing,  when  his  eyes  sought  her  in  the  theatre, 
had  deeply  affected  her,  and  she  could  not  forget  him. 
At  last  she  also  fell  ill,  and  after  a  time  became  too 
weak  to  leave  her  bed. 

She  felt  like  a  poor  insect  caught  in  the  entangling 
meshes  of  a  cruel  Fate.  The  mere  thought  of  the 
brilliant  marriage  that  had  been  arranged  by  her 
parents  became  detestable  to  her,  and  tossing  on  her 
fevered  pillow,  long  and  earnest  were  her  daily  sup- 
plications to  the  powers  above  to  find  her  some  means 
of  escape. 

To  the  faithful  old  nurse  alone  did  Kinu  dare  to 
confide  her  tormenting  troubles,  and  the  old  woman, 
sorely  distressed  at  the  constant  fits  of  weeping  and 
increasing  melancholy  of  her  stricken  foster-child,  at 
last  promised  to  be  the  bearer  of  a  message  to 
Kunizo. 
226 


Kinu  Returns  from  the  Grave 

Then  Kinu  embodied  her  woes  in  a  little  poem  to 
which  she  composed  an  accompaniment  on  the  koto, 
and  she  found  much  solace  singing  it  repeatedly  to 
herself  in  the  solitude  of  her  chamber. 

The  nurse's  sympathies  being  with  the  hapless  pair, 
she  soon  found  an  opportunity  to  inform  Kunizo  of 
the  love-poem  that  Kinu  had  dedicated  to  him,  and 
the  knowledge  that  his  affection  was  requited  brought 
such  joy  to  his  sad  heart  that  all  traces  of  sickness 
left  him,  and  he  was  able  to  resume  his  usual  mode  of 
life. 

But  not  so  with  Kinu.  Day  and  night  the  image  of 
Kunizo  alone  filled  her  thoughts,  and  the  more  fer- 
vently she  longed  to  see  him  the  more  her  malady 
increased. 

The  merchant  and  his  wife  were  plunged  into 
deep  distress  and  anxiety  concerning  the  mys- 
terious ailment  that  had  so  suddenly  attacked 
their  beloved  daughter :  the  most  skilful  doctors 
were  hastily  summoned  to  her  bedside,  but  all  their 
ministrations  proved  of  no  avail,  and  the  love-smitten 
patient,  like  a  wilted  flower,  continued  to  fade  and 
droop. 

Now,  although  Kunizo  had  grown  up  amidst  poor 
and  obscure  surroundings,  yet  he  had  received  a  good 
education,  and  had  always  cherished  a  great  devotion 
to  literature,  and  especially  poetry,  for  the  composi- 
tion of  which  he  had  a  natural  gift.  So  when  the  news 
reached  him  that  his  lady-love  was  lying  on  a  bed  of 
sickness,  he  composed  a  little  poem  for  her,  revealing 

227 


Kinu  Returns  from  the  Grave 

the  state  of  his  mind,  and  entrusted  it  to  the  care  of 
the  faithful  nurse  : 

To  O  KINU  SAMA 

So  near  Beloved,  yet  long  leagues  apart, 
The  ladder  to  thy  Heaven  so  far  and  dim, 

Its  steps  I  dare  not  scale  ! 
One  night  my  soul  a  butterfly  became  : 

Straight  to  its  goal  thy  presence  sweet, 
It  fluttered  softly  through  the  starlit  dusk 
Behind  thy  purple  tasselled  sudare. 
What  ecstasy  was  mine  ! 

From  Kunizo 


This  message  brought  great  comfort  to  Kinu's 
heart,  for  until  then  she  had  merely  guessed  Kunizo's 
affection  for  her,  and  had  no  certain  proof  of  it.  Joy- 
fully she  wrote  a  little  stanza  in  response  : 

To  KUNIZO  SAMA 

What  matter  that  our  weary  feet 

Tread  thorny  paths  and  wastes  forlorn 

If  only  we  together  climb  ? 

What  matter  that  a  hermit's  hut 

Is  all  our  shelter  from  the  blast  ? 
Beyond  the  mists  one  shining  star, 

*  Suddrd,  a  curtain  of  finely  slatted  bamboo  pulled  up  and 
down  by  silken  cords  and  tassels. 

228 


Kinu  Returns  from  the  Grave 


Our  heart's  true  guide  bright  beckons  us  ! 

Earth's  dust  shake  off,  and  hand  in  hand 
Set  out  in  faith  to  Love's  lone  peak  ! 

From  Kinu 

From  that  time,  day  by  day,  the  enamoured  pair 
existed  on  the  exchange  of  their  love-tokens,  while 
the  happiness  of  being  in  such  constant  and  intimate 
intercourse  with  her  old  friend  led  to  Kinu's  sudden 
and  complete  recovery. 

In  the  meantime  her  parents,  overjoyed  at  their 
daughter's  restoration  to  health,  and  in  total  ignorance 
of  all  that  was  taking  place,  hastened  to  select  an 
auspicious  day  for  the  marriage,  and  began  with  en- 
thusiasm the  elaborate  preparations  for  the  important 
event. 

When  the  hapless  Kinu  realized  that  her  destiny  was 
irrevocably  sealed,  and  that  she  was  condemned  to 
become  the  wife  of  another  man,  she  became  almost 
frantic. 

Disobedience  and  defiance  of  her  parent's  wishes 
being  out  of  the  question,  she  pondered  morning,  noon, 
and  night  over  the  dreadful  situation  :  but  it  seemed 
that  nothing  short  of  a  miracle  could  prevent  or  even 
delay  the  marriage  ceremony  with  the  hated  bride- 
groom. 

After  long  days  and  nights  of  futile  scheming,  it 
seemed  to  her  distraught  brain  that  the  only  line  of 
action  left  to  her  was  this  :  once  arrived  at  the  noble- 
man's house  she  determined,  on  pretence  of  illness,  to 

229 


Kinu  Returns  from  the  Grave 


ask  permission  to  isolate  herself  in  her  own  apart- 
ments ;  but  should  he  insist  on  her  presence,  there 
would  be  but  one  course  left  to  her  to  follow,  and  since 
it  was  doomed  that  she  should  not  be  the  Bride  of 
Love,  she  would  become  the  Bride  of  Death. 

This  desperate  decision  she  communicated  in  her 
last  farewell  to  the  distracted  Kunizo,  and  as  a  pledge 
of  finality  and  her  unshakeable  resolve,  she  wrote  the 
letter  in  blood,  drawn  from  a  self-inflicted  wound  on 
one  of  her  fingers,  and  tied  this  ominous  missive  with 
a  long  tress  of  her  silken,  ebony  hair. 

The  fateful  day  arrived.  Passively  the  unwilling, 
shrinking  bride  submitted  to  the  obsequious  atten- 
dants, who  robed  her  slender  form  in  the  gorgeous 
wedding-garments  and  applied  the  adornments  of 
art  to  enhance  her  pale  beauty,  so  that  when  she 
appeared  before  them,  the  relatives  and  friends, 
who  had  assembled  for  the  occasion,  were  en- 
chanted, and  all  were  loud  in  praise  of  her  surpassing 
loveliness. 

At  last  the  evening  came  and  the  hour  of  departure 
was  at  hand.  Kinu  took  formal  leave  of  her  parents, 
and  then,  steeling  her  heart  with  the  firm  resolution 
to  escape  from  the  hateful  bondage  of  this  forced 
marriage,  entered  her  kago,  and  was  slowly  borne  to 
the  house  of  the  bridegroom,  closely  followed  by  a 
long  procession  of  her  parents,  the  go-between,  and 
attendants. 

Now,  it  happened  that  some  years  before  the  young 
nobleman  had  formed  a  liaison  with  a  woman,  a  famous 
230 


Kinu  Returns  from  the  Grave 

danseuse  and  singer,  to  whom  he  had  been  deeply 
attached.  According  to  the  custom  of  those  times 
he  had  installed  her  in  his  house,  and  being  of  an 
ambitious  nature,  from  the  first  she  had  cherished  the 
hope  that  in  time  her  devotion  would  be  rewarded  by 
becoming  his  legal  wife,  and  the  mistress  of  that  noble 
house.  When,  therefore,  she  learnt  of  the  death-blow 
to  her  aspirations  in  her  lover's  approaching  marriage 
to  a  young  bride  of  peerless  beauty,  the  shock  was  so 
great  as  to  unhinge  her  reason. 

Secretly  she  nursed  her  bitter  feelings  :  vainly  she 
hoped  that  her  agonized  prayers  to  the  Gods  might  be 
heard,  and  that  the  dreaded  marriage  might  yet  be 
cancelled. 

But  when  the  evening  of  the  wedding-day  arrived, 
and  the  lights  of  the  bridal  procession  had  already 
come  into  view  along  the  road,  and  were  slowly  nearing 
the  house,  her  fury  could  no  longer  be  restrained. 
Mad  with  jealousy  and  disappointment  she  rushed 
into  the  garden,  stabbed  herself  through  the  breast, 
and  in  a  last  convulsive  frenzy,  cast  her  bleeding  body 
down  the  well. 

At  that  moment  the  massive  gates  were  thrown 
open,  and  the  bride's  sumptuously  lacquered  kago 
appeared,  surrounded  by  a  numerous  retinue,  carrying 
lanterns  and  torches. 

Suddenly,  an  unearthly  gust  of  cold  wind  arose 
whirling  wildly  round  the  mansion,  and  all  the  lights 
were  extinguished.  In  the  dense  gloom  of  that  moon- 
less night,  what  was  the  terror  of  everyone  to  behold 

231 


Kinu  Returns  from  the  Grave 


in  front  of  them,  barring  the  way  before  the  passage 
of  the  bride,  the  spectre  of  the  deserted  mistress  ! 
Shrouded  in  a  cloud  of  pale-bluish  mist,  her  ghastly 
face  and  blood-stained  garments  struck  terror  to  the 
souls  of  the  petrified  spectators — her  long  dishevelled 
hair  streamed  behind  her  in  the  breeze,  which  was  not 
of  this  world,  and  her  hands  were  uplifted  in  menace 
towards  the  bride,  from  whose  kago  a  wild  and  heart- 
piercing  shriek  was  heard. 

The  bridegroom,  who  with  a  group  of  retainers  had 
been  impatiently  awaiting  the  advent  of  Kinu  at  the 
entrance  to  the  house,  was  a  horrified  spectator  of  the 
fearful  scene.  His  wrath  was  uncontrollable.  With 
drawn  sword  he  rushed  to  the  gate  and  made  a  wild 
attempt  to  cut  down  the  wraith  of  his  jealous  para- 
mour— but  as  his  sword  fell,  in  a  flash  the  whole 
apparition  vanished. 

Great  was  the  commotion  that  followed,  but  by 
degrees  the  alarmed  servants  and  bearers  recovered 
from  their  fright,  the  torches  and  lanterns  were  re- 
lighted, and  the  door  of  the  palanquin  was  opened. 

Alas  !  to  all  appearances  the  beautiful  bride  was 
dead.  Like  a  white  lily  she  lay  back  on  her  cushions, 
pale  and  still. 

Physicians  were  summoned  in  all  haste,  but  they 
declared  that  remedies  were  of  no  avail — life  was 
extinct. 

The  hapless  Kinu  had  perished.  Coming  as  a  climax 
to  the  mental  anguish  she  had  suffered,  the  horror  of 
the  ghastly  welcome  that  had  greeted  her,  was  beyond 
232 


Her  ghastly  face  and  blood-stained  garments  struck  terror  to  the 
souls  of  the  petrified  spectators 


1   , 

■ 
I 


■  i  I 
(  l(  ( 


Kinu  Returns  from  the  Grave 

the  endurance  of  her  frail  spirit,  and  on  the  threshold 
of  her  new  and  dreaded  home,  it  had  taken  wing. 

The  woe  of  that  night  was  unutterable. 

Amidst  the  general  lamentations,  Kinu's  afflicted 
parents  returned  to  their  home,  bearing  with  them 
the  lifeless  body  of  their  beloved  daughter  :  all  their 
pride  obliterated  and  their  hopes  in  her  brightly- 
opening  future  swept  away  for  ever  by  the  tragedy 
of  that  fearful  night. 

Two  days  later,  with  poignant  grief,  the  stricken 
couple  laid  in  the  tomb  all  that  was  left  of  their 
cherished  child,  so  irrevocably  and  cruelly  torn  from 
them  by  a  sudden  unexpected  doom,  and  they  resolved 
to  dedicate  the  remnant  of  their  days  to  her  memory. 

Kunizo  was  the  first  to  hear  the  dire  news.  With  a 
breaking  heart  he  had  watched  his  love  depart  on  her 
ill-starred  journey,  and,  numbed  with  despair,  from 
the  same  spot  he  witnessed  the  mournful  return  of  the 
procession. 

Stupefied  at  the  turn  events  had  taken,  he  at  once 
determined  that  her  spirit  should  not  go  forth  on  its 
way  alone  into  the  darkness  of  the  Land  of  Shadows, 
and  since  their  paths  had  been  so  ruthlessly  parted  in 
life,  compassionate  Death  should  unite  them  for  many 
lives  to  come.  However,  before  he  made  his  final 
exit  from  this  world  of  pain,  he  would  at  least  gaze 
once  again  upon  the  beautiful  face  of  his  beloved  Kinu. 

With  this  resolve,  on  the  night  of  her  interment  he 
found  his  way  to  the  cemetery  ;  the  coffin  was  easily 
disinterred,  and  with  the  tools  brought  for  that  pur- 

233 


Kinu  Returns  from  the  Grave 

pose,  he  soon  succeeded  in  wrenching  off  the  lid.  No 
sooner  had  this  been  done  than  a  miracle  was  wrought. 
Instead  of  lying  there  a  pallid  wraith  of  her  former  self, 
as  Kunizo  so  fully  expected  to  find  the  corpse  of  his 
lost  love,  with  a  faint  sigh  she  raised  herself  in  the 
narrow  coffin,  and  turned  her  bewildered  gaze  upon 
her  astounded  deliverer. 

It  was  indeed  true,  the  sudden  rush  of  cold  air  had 
brought  back  the  wandering  spirit  of  poor  Kinu. 
The  hideous  events  of  her  wedding  night  had  com- 
pletely suspended  her  animation,  and  she  had  fallen 
into  a  deep  trance,  which  had  deceived  everyone  by 
its  faithful  semblance  of  Death. 

Who  can  depict  the  joy  and  transports  of  the  young 
lovers,  who  after  enduring  such  torments  and  vicissi- 
tudes, were  thus  miraculously  restored  to  each  other  ! 
Kunizo,  almost  beside  himself  with  happiness,  did 
his  utmost  to  minister  to  his  beloved  lady,  and  when 
she  had  sufficiently  recovered,  he  tenderly  wrapped 
her  in  his  outer  garment  and  carried  her  in  all  haste 
to  the  house  of  an  aunt,  who  lived  at  some  distance, 
where  she  could  be  safely  concealed. 

This  relative  was  considerably  surprised  at  such  a 
visitation  in  the  dead  of  night,  and  still  more  so  at  the 
almost  incredible  narrative  of  the  fugitive  couple. 
However,  clearly  discerning  the  will  of  Heaven  in  all 
that  had  passed,  she  willingly  afforded  them  a  shelter, 
and  did  all  in  her  power  to  aid  them  escape  from  that 
part  of  the  country. 

Under  cover  of  the  darkness  they  fled,  and  crossing 

234 


Kunizo,  almost  beside  himself  with  happiness,  did  his  utmost  to 
minister  to  his  beloved  lady 


L 


Kunizo,  almost  beside  himself  with  happiness,  did  his  utmost  to 
minister  to  his  beloved  lady 


Kinu  Returns  from  the  Grave 

the  sea,  arrived  safely  in  the  island  of  Shikoku.  There, 
in  a  place  called  Marugame,  they  found  another 
member  of  Kunizo's  family,  to  whom  they  had  been 
directed,  who  was  the  prosperous  master  of  a 
yadoya,  or  inn,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  famous  temple  of 
Kompira,*  for  which  that  region  had  become  famous. 

The  fugitives  received  a  kindly  welcome,  and  then 
after  all  their  trials  and  sorrows,  they  made  their  home 
in  that  flourishing  country  town,  annually  visited  by 
thousands  of  pilgrims,  Kinu's  beauty  and  accom- 
plishments winning  all  hearts  and  proving  of  great 
assistance  to  their  benefactor.  In  this  way,  far  from 
their  native  place,  the  united  lovers  spent  happy  years 
in  the  joy  of  each  other's  company,  secure  in  their 
deep  affection,  which,  like  the  flower  of  the  enchanted 
bowers  of  Horai,  the  Elysian  Isle,  fades  not,  but  blooms 
on  fragrant  for  all  eternity. 

Haunted  by  the  fear  that  they  might  again  be 
pitilessly  separated  from  each  other,  and  Kinu  forced 
to  fulfil  her  engagement  to  the  luckless  nobleman, 
who  had  been  defrauded  of  his  happiness  in  such  a 
gruesome  and  unforeseen  manner,  they  lived  in  the 
strictest  retirement  and  never  dared  to  disclose  to 
their  respective  sorrowing  families  the  wonders  that 
had  been  worked  in  their  behalf. 

However,  some  years  later,  Kinu's  parents,  who  had 
all  this  time  been  mourning  and  inconsolable  for  their 
daughter's  tragic  end,  undertook  an  extensive  pilgrim- 

*  Kompira,  a  deity  claimed  by  both  Shintoists  and  Buddhists  : 
very  popular  with  travellers  and  seamen. 

235 


Kinu  Returns  from  the  Grave 

age  to  certain  celebrated  temples  for  requiem  services 
and  prayers  for  the  repose  and  well-being  of  the  soul 
of  their  lost  child. 

In  the  course  of  their  journeying  they  arrived  at 
Marugame,  for  the  temple  of  Kompira  was  included 
in  their  tour,  and  by  a  strange  coincidence  they  came 
to  stay  at  the  very  inn  presided  over  by  Kunizo's 
uncle. 

When  they  were  shown  into  the  room  allotted  them, 
the  first  object  to  meet  their  astonished  gaze  was  a 
handsome  screen  on  which  was  written  a  poem  in 
skilled  calligraphy.  The  characteristic  handwriting 
was  the  facsimile  of  Kinu's,  and  the  poem  constantly 
and  fondly  read  at  home — they  knew  it  by  heart,  for 
it  was  one  of  the  treasured  relics  left  to  them  by  their 
beloved  daughter. 

Their  imaginations  were  deeply  stirred,  and  in  a 
state  of  great  emotion  at  this  strange  occurrence,  they 
hastily  summoned  their  host.  In  a  long  interview 
the  astounding  story  of  Kinu's  resurrection  from  the 
tomb  and  the  escape  of  the  lovers  was  revealed  to 
them. 

Deep  and  boundless  was  their  joy  and  gratitude  to 
Providence  at  thus  restoring  to  them,  in  such  an 
amazing  manner,  their  lost  one,  whom  they  never 
expected  to  meet  again  this  side  of  the  Meido*  and  at 
that  happy  reunion  all  shed  tears  of  joy,  and  also  of 
sorrow,  in  recalling  the  past. 

Further  separation  being  out  of  the  question,  the 

*  Meido,  Hades. 
236 


Kinu  Returns  from  the  Grave 

old  couple  insisted  on  carrying  back  with  them  to 
Osaka  their  newly  restored  son  and  daughter,  and 
there  they  all  lived  together  long  and  happily  :  the 
whole  neighbourhood  never  ceasing  to  marvel  at  the 
wonderful  history  of  "  how  Kinu  returned  from  the 
grave." 


237 


A  Cherry-Flower  Idyll 


A  Cherry-Flower  Idyll 

A  BOUT  one  hundred  years  ago,  in  the  old  capital 
/\  of  Kyoto,  there  lived  a  young  man  named 
/  \  Taira  Shunko.  At  the  time  this  story  opens 
■^  ^  he  was  about  twenty  years  of  age,  of  pre- 
possessing appearance,  amiable  disposition,  and  re- 
fined tastes,  his  favourite  pastime  being  the  composi- 
tion of  poetry.  His  father  decided  that  Shunko  should 
finish  his  education  in  Yedo,  the  Eastern  capital, 
where  he  was  accordingly  sent.  He  proved  himself  an 
apt  scholar,  more  clever  than  his  comrade-students, 
which  won  him  the  favour  of  the  tutor  in  whose 
charge  he  had  been  placed. 

Some  months  after  his  arrival  in  Yedo,  he  went  to 
stay  at  his  uncle's  house  during  convalescence  from  a 
slight  illness.  By  the  time  he  was  well  again  the 
spring  had  come,  and  the  call  of  the  cherry-flower 
season  found  a  ready  response  in  Shunko's  heart,  so 
he  determined  to  visit  Koganei,  a  place  famous  for  its 
cherry  trees. 

One  fine  morning  he  arose  at  dawn,  and,  equipped 
with  a  small  luncheon  box  and  a  gourd  filled  with  sake, 
set  out  on  his  way. 

In  the  good  old  days,  as  now,  Koganei  was  cele- 
brated for  the  beauty  of  its  scenery  in  the  springtime. 
Thousands  of  spreading  trees  formed  a  glorious  avenue 
on  either  side  the  blue  waters  of  the  River  Tama,  and 
when  these  burst  into  clouds  of  diaphanous  bloom, 

Q  241 


A  Cherry-Flower  Idyll 


visitors  from  far  and  near  came  in  crowds  to  join  in 
the  revel  of  the  Queen  of  Flowers.  Beneath  the  shade 
of  the  over-arching  trees,  tea-houses  were  dotted  along 
the  banks  of  the  stream.  Here,  with  the  shoji  *  hos- 
pitably open  on  all  sides,  tempting  meals  of  river-trout, 
bamboo  shoots,  and  fern-curls,  and  sundry  and  mani- 
fold dainties  were  served  to  the  pleasure-seeking 
traveller. 

Shunko  rested  at  one  of  these  river-side  hostelries, 
refreshing  himself  with  generous  draughts  from  his 
gourd,  and  then  opened  his  tiny  luncheon  box,  the 
contents  of  which  he  supplemented  with  the  delicate 
river-trout,  fresh  from  the  pellucid  waters  of  the 
stream  and  artistically  prepared  by  the  tea-house 
cuisine. 

Under  the  influence  of  wine,  the  homesickness  which 
had  been  oppressing  his  soul  gradually  took  wings  ; 
he  became  merry,  and  felt  as  if  he  were  at  home  in 
his  own  beautiful  city  of  Kyoto.  He  sauntered  along 
under  the  trees,  singing  snatches  of  songs  in  praise 
of  this  favourite  flower.  On  every  side  the  whole 
world  was  framed  in  softest  clouds  of  ethereal  bloom, 
which  seemed  to  waft  him  along  between  earth  and 
heaven. 

Lost  in  admiration  at  the  fairylike  beauty  of  the 
scene,  he  wandered  on  and  on,  oblivious  of  time,  till 
he  suddenly  realized  that  daylight  was  on  the  wane. 
A  zephyr   sprang  up,   scattering  the  petals   of  the 

*  Shoji,  the  sliding  screens  which  take  the  place  of  doors  in 
a  Japanese  house. 

242 


A  Cherry-Flower  Idyll 

blossoms  like  a  fall  of  scented  snow,  and  as  Shunko 
gazed  around,  he  became  aware  that  the  last  visitors 
had  gone,  and  that  he  was  left  alone  with  only  the 
birds  twittering  on  their  way  to  their  nests  to  remind 
him  that  he,  too,  like  the  rest  of  belated  humanity, 
ought  to  be  wending  his  way  home. 

However,  sinking  down  upon  a  mossy  bank  beneath 
a  cherry-tree,  he  became  lost  in  meditation.  With  the 
aid  of  a  portable  ink-box  and  brush  he  composed  some 
stanzas,  a  rhapsody  on  the  transcendent  loveliness  of 
the  cherry  flowers. 

SONG  TO  THE  SPIRIT  OF  THE  CHERRY- 
BLOSSOM  * 

Throughout  the  land  the  Spring  doth  hold  high  Court, 

Obedient  to  the  call  from  far  I  come 

To  lay  my  tribute  at  thy  matchless  shrine, 

To  vow  allegiance  to  the  Queen  of  Flowers. 

How  can  I  praise  aright  thy  perfume  sweet, 
The  heavenly  pureness  of  thy  blossom's  snow  : 
Spellbound  I  linger  in  thy  Kingdom  fair 
That  rivets  me,  love's  prisoner  ! 

Take  this  poor  bud  of  poesy  to  thy  fragrant  breast, 
There  let  it  hang,  symbol  of  homage  true  : 
Ne'er  can  perfection  be  acclaimed  right, 
M  ich  less  thy  beauties,  which  are  infinite  ! 

*  Rendered  into  English  verse  by  my  friend,  Countess  Iso-ko- 
Mutsu. 

243 


A  Cherry-Flower  Idyll 

Thy  fragile  petals  fluttering  on  my  robes 
Pluck  at  my  heart,  and  bind  me  to  thy  realm 
With  fairy  fetters — ne'er  can  1  leave  thy  bowers 
But  worship  thee  for  evermore,  my  peerless  Queen  of 
Flowers  ! 

Having  tied  the  slip  of  paper  to  a  branch  of  the  tree 
in  whose  shade  he  had  been  reclining,  he  turned  to 
retrace  his  steps,  but  realized,  with  a  start,  that  the 
twilight  had  merged  into  darkness,  and  the  pale  gleams 
of  the  crescent  moon  were  already  beginning  to  illu- 
mine the  deep  blue  vault  above  him.  During  his 
abstraction  he  had  wandered  off  the  beaten-track, 
and  was  following  a  totally  unknown  path  which  grew 
more  and  more  intricate  among  the  hills.  It  had  been 
a  long  day,  and  he  was  growing  faint  with  hunger 
and  weary  from  fatigue  when,  just  as  he  was  beginning 
to  despair  of  ever  finding  an  escape  from  such  a  laby- 
rinth, suddenly  a  young  girl  appeared  from  the  gloom 
as  if  by  magic  !  By  the  fitful  light  of  the  lantern  she 
was  carrying,  Shunko  saw  that  she  was  very  fair  and 
dainty,  and  concluded  that  she  was  in  the  service 
of  some  household  of  rank.  To  his  surprise  she  took 
his  presence  as  a  matter  of  course,  and  politely  ad- 
dressed him,  with  many  bows  : 

"  My  mistress  is  awaiting  you.  Please  come  and  I 
will  show  you  the  way." 

Shunko  was  still  more  astonished  at  these  words. 
He  had  never  been  in  this  wild  and  unknown  place 
before,  and  could  not  imagine  what  human  soul 
244 


Suddenly  a  young  girl  appeared  from  the  gloom  as  if  by  magic  1 


A  Cherry-Flower  Idyll 

could  know  and  summon  him  thus,  at  this  late 
hour. 

After  a  few  moment's  silence  he  inquired  of  the 
little  messenger,  "  Who  is  your  mistress  ?  " 

"  You  will  understand  when  you  see  her,"  she  re- 
plied. "  My  lady  told  me  that  as  you  had  lost  your 
way,  I  was  to  come  and  guide  you  to  her  house,  so 
kindly  follow  me  without  delay." 

Shunko's  perplexity  was  only  increased  by  these 
words,  but  after  reflection,  he  told  himself  that  pro- 
bably one  of  his  friends  must  be  living  in  Koganei 
without  his  knowledge,  and  he  decided  to  follow  the 
fair  messenger  without  further  questioning. 

Setting  out  at  a  swift  pace,  she  guided  him  into  a 
small  valley,  through  which  a  mountain  stream  was 
murmuring  in  its  rocky  bed.  It  was  a  remote  and 
sheltered  spot.  Presently  a  turn  in  the  path  led  them 
to  a  tiny  dwelling,  completely  surrounded  and  over- 
shadowed by  a  cluster  of  cherry-trees  in  full  bloom. 
The  girl  stopped  before  the  little  bamboo  gate.  Shunko 
hesitated,  but  she  turned  to  him  with  a  smile. 

"  This  is  the  house  where  my  mistress  dwells.  Be 
so  good  as  to  enter  !  " 

Shunko  obeyed,  and  passed  up  a  miniature  garden 
to  the  entrance.  Another  little  maiden  appeared 
with  a  lighted  candle,  and  ushered  Shunko  through 
several  anterooms  leading  to  a  large  guest-chamber, 
which  seemed  to  be  overhanging  the  crystal  waters 
of  a  lake,  in  whose  depth,  like  golden  flowers,  he  could 
see  the  reflection  of  myriad  stars.      He  noticed  that 

245 


A  Cherry-Flower  Idyll 


the  appointments  were  all  of  a  most  sumptuous 
description.  Cherry-blossoms  formed  the  keynote  of 
the  decorations  ;  the  screens  were  all  planted  with 
the  flowering  branches,  clusters  of  them  adorned  the 
tokonoma  ;  while  the  high-standing  candlesticks  were 
of  massive  silver,  as  were  also  the  charcoal  braziers, 
the  glow  of  which  drove  out  the  chill  of  the  spring 
evening.  Beautiful  crepe  cushions  were  placed  be- 
side the  braziers,  as  if  in  expectation  of  a  welcome 
guest ;  while  the  perfume  of  rare  incense,  mingling 
with  the  delicious  fragrance  of  cherry-blossom,  floated 
through  the  room. 

Shunko  was  too  bewildered  and  too  exhausted  by 
his  long  wanderings  to  indulge  in  reflections.  With 
the  unreal  sensations  of  an  errant  hero  of  a  fairy  tale, 
he  sank  upon  the  mats  and  waited,  wondering  what 
would  happen  next. 

Suddenly,  the  rustle  of  silken  garments  arrested 
his  attention  ;  noiselessly  the  screens  of  the  room 
slid  back,  and  the  apparition  of  a  beautiful  maiden 
appeared,  exquisitely  graceful  in  her  trailing  robes. 

She  was  in  the  prime  of  youth,  and  could  not  have 
been  more  than  seventeen  years  of  age.  Her  dress, 
in  which  the  skies  of  spring  seemed  to  be  reflected, 
was  the  hue  of  a  rich  azure  blue,  and  the  crepe  fabric 
was  half  concealed  beneath  sprays  of  cherry-bloom  so 
deftly  worked,  and  with  such  a  moonlit  sheen  upon 
them,  that  Shunko  thought  that  they  must  have  been 
woven  from  the  moonbeams  of  the  serene  far-off  moon 
for  the  Goddess  of  Spring  .  Her  face  was  so  perfect 
246 


A  Cherry-Flower  Idyll 

that  the  wondering  guest  was  speechless  at  the  love- 
liness of  the  vision  before  him.  Never  had  he  dreamed 
of  such  beauty,  although  he  came  from  Kyoto,  the 
city  of  beautiful  women. 

The  fair  hostess,  noting  his  embarrassment,  laughed 
softly,  as  she  took  her  seat  beside  one  of  the  silver 
braziers,  and  with  a  gentle  gesture  of  the  hand  as- 
signed him  the  companion  place  opposite  her. 

Bowing  to  the  ground,  she  said  : 

"  Ever  have  I  lived  alone  in  this  place  with  only 
the  river  and  the  hills  for  my  friends.  So  that  your 
coming  is  a  great  joy  and  consolation  to  me.  It  is 
my  wish  to  prepare  a  feast  of  welcome  for  you,  but 
alas  !  in  the  depths  of  the  woods,  there  is  nothing  meet 
for  an  honoured  guest,  but,  poor  as  our  entertainment 
is,  I  beg  you,  not  to  despise  it." 

A  servant  then  appeared  bearing  trays  of  delicious 
dishes,  with  a  golden  wine  flagon  and  a  crystal  cup. 

At  the  sound  of  her  voice,  enchantment  seemed  to 
weave  a  subtle  net  around  the  bewildered  Shunko  ; 
a  languorous  feeling  of  delight  stole  over  his  senses, 
and  he  yielded  himself  to  the  mysterious  charm  of  the 
hour. 

His  lovely  hostess  proffered  to  her  guest  the  crystal 
winecup,  and  filled  it  to  the  brim  with  amber  wine 
from  the  golden  flask. 

As  Shunko  quaffed  it,  he  thought  never  had  such 
delicious  nectar  been  tasted  by  mortal  man.  He  could 
not  resist  cup  after  cup,  till  gradually  all  apprehen- 
sion of  the  unknown  surroundings  passed  away,  and  a 

247 


A  Cherry-Flower  Idyll 

strange  gladness  filled  his  heart  as  he  succumbed  to 
the  charm  of  the  hour,  while  servants  silently  went  to 
and  fro  bearing  fresh  and  tempting  dainties  to  lay 
before  him. 

While  they  were  conversing  happily  together  the 
lady  left  his  side,  and  seating  herself  beside  the  koto, 
began  to  sing  a  wild  and  beautiful  air.  Strange  and 
wonderful  to  relate,  the  song  was  none  other  than  the 
self-same  poem  which  Shunko  had  composed  that  very 
evening,  and  had  left  fluttering  from  the  branch  of 
the  cherry-tree  beneath  whose  canopy  of  bloom  he  had 
rested.  Falling  completely  under  the  bewitchment 
of  his  surroundings,  Shunko  felt  that  he  wished  to 
stay  there  for  evermore,  and  a  pang  smote  his  breast 
at  the  thought  that  he  soon  must  separate,  if  only  for 
a  few  hours,  from  his  mystic  lady  of  the  vale  of  cherry- 
blossoms. 

As  the  last  plaintive  chord  throbbed  into  silence, 
a  chime  in  the  next  room  struck  two  in  the 
morning. 

Laying  the  instrument  aside,  she  said  : 

"  At  this  late  hour  it  is  impossible  for  you  to  return 
home  to-night.  Everything  is  prepared  in  the  next 
room.  Honourably  deign  to  rest.  Forgive  me  that 
I  cannot  entertain  you  in  a  more  befitting  manner, 
in  this,  our  poor  home." 

Attendants  then  entering,  the  screens  were  drawn 
aside  for  their  guest,  and  he  passed  into  the  adjoining 
chamber,  which  had  been  prepared  as  a  sleeping 
apartment.  Sinking  to  rest  among  the  silken  cover- 
248 


His  beautiful  hostess,  seating  herself  beside  the  koto,  began 
sing  a  wild  and  beautiful  air 


, 


'  j^.'^rw, 


I    I   I   . 

(  t  C  i 


I   I    , 


C   C     I     ( 


(  i  i    ( 

t     •.     C     ( 


A  Cherry-Flower  Idyll 

lets  and  luxurious  quilts,  he  was  soon  lost  in  heavy 
slumber. 

Suddenly,  in  the  morning,  he  was  awakened  by  a 
cold  wind  blowing  across  his  face.  Day  had  broken, 
and  the  rosy  dawn  was  flushing  the  horizon  in  the 
east.  Slowly  returning  to  his  senses,  he  found  himself 
lying  on  the  ground  beneath  the  very  cherry-tree 
that  had  inspired  his  poem  of  the  day  before  ;  but 
his  wonderful  adventure,  his  charming  hostess,  and 
her  waiting  maidens  were  no  more  !  Shunko,  lost  in 
wonder,  recalled  over  and  over  again  the  glowing 
memories  of  the  preceding  evening,  but  the  vision 
had  been  so  vivid  that  he  felt  assured  it  must  have 
been  something  more  than  the  mere  phantoms  of  a 
dream.  An  overpowering  conviction  crept  over  him 
that  the  lovely  maiden  had  her  living  counterpart 
in  this  world  of  realities. 

From  his  earliest  childhood  he  had  always  offered  a 
special  devotion  to  the  cherry-flowers.  Year  after 
year,  in  the  springtime,  he  had  taken  special  joy  in 
visiting  some  place  noted  for  their  blossoms.  Could 
it  be  that  the  spirit  of  the  cherry-tree,  to  whose  beauty 
he  had  dedicated  his  poem,  had  appeared  to  him  in 
human  form  to  reward  him  for  his  life-long  fidelity  ? 

At  last  he  rose  and  stretched  his  cramped  limbs, 
and  musing  only  on  the  vanished  wonders  of  the  night, 
wandered  aimlessly  along.  At  length  he  regained 
the  main  road  and  slowly  turned  his  errant  footsteps 
towards  home. 

Although  he  took  up  his  usual  life  again,  he  could  not 

249 


A  Cherry-Flower  Idyll 


forget  his  experiences  in  the  cherry-blossom  valley,they 
haunted  him  not  only  in  the  silent  watches  of  the  night, 
but  in  the  bright  noontide  of  day.  Three  days  later  he 
returned  to  Koganei,with  the  fond  hope  of  evoking  once 
again  the  longed-for  vision  of  the  lovely  girl  who  had 
so  bewitched  him  with  her  beauty  and  her  charm. 

But,  alas  for  human  hopes  !  In  those  short  days 
all  had  changed.  What  so  ephemeral  as  the  reign 
of  the  cherry-flower  in  the  spring  !  Grey  were  the 
skies  that  had  been  so  blue  and  fair  ;  bleak  and  de- 
serted was  the  scene  that  had  been  so  gay  and  full  of 
life  ;  bare  of  blossom,  and  stripped  of  their  fairy 
beauty  were  the  trees,  whose  petals  of  blushing-snow 
the  relentless  wind  had  scattered  far  and  wide. 

As  before,  he  rested  at  the  same  little  tea-house  by 
the  river  and  waited  for  the  shades  of  evening  to  fall. 
Roaming  about  in  the  deepening  twilight,  he  anxiously 
sought  some  sign  or  token,  but  vain  were  all  his  efforts 
to  find  the  valley  of  dream  again.  Vanished  was  the 
little  dwelling  in  the  shadow  of  the  cherry  groves. 
Nowhere  by  unfamiliar  paths  could  he  find  the  fair 
messenger  who  had  guided  him  to  the  bamboo  gate. 
All  had  faded  and  suffered  change. 

Year  after  year,  in  the  springtime,  did  Shunko  make 
a  pilgrimage  of  loving  memory  to  the  same  spot,  but 
though  his  faithfulness  was  never  rewarded  by  a  sight 
of  her,  who  had  so  completely  taken  possession  of  his 
heart  and  soul,  yet  the  flower  of  hope  never  faded, 
and  firm  was  his  resolution,  that  none  other  than  the 
maiden  of  Koganei  should  ever  be  his  wife. 
250 


A  Cherry-Flower  Idyll 

About  five  years  passed.  Then  a  sudden  summons 
from  his  home  arrived,  bearing  the  sorrowful  tidings 
that  his  father  had  been  stricken  with  severe  illness, 
and  begging  him  to  return  without  delay. 

That  very  day  he  made  all  arrangements,  and  dis- 
posed of  his  few  student's  belongings  in  readiness  to 
set  out  at  daybreak. 

It  happened  to  be  the  season  of  autumn  when,  in 
the  Orient,  the  deer  cries  for  its  mate  in  the  flaming 
maple  glades  of  the  forest,  and  a  young  man's  heart  * 
is  filled  with  what  the  Japanese  call  mono  no  aware 
wo  sbiru  ("  the  Ah-ness  of  things  "). 

Shunko  was  sad.  He  yearned  for  the  lovely  girl 
who  had  so  bewitched  him,  and  in  addition  to  this 
sorrow  his  heart  was  heavy  at  the  thought  of  his 
father's  illness. 

As  Shunko  proceeded  on  his  journey  his  depression 
increased,  and  sadly  he  repeated  aloud  the  following 
lines  : 

Cold  as  the  wind  of  early  spring 

Chilling  the  buds  that  still  lie  sheathed 

In  their  brown  armour  zuith  its  sting, 

And  the  bare  branches  withering — 

So  seems  the  human  heart  to  me  ! 

Cold  as  the  March  wind's  bitterness  ; 

I  am  alone,  none  comes  to  see 

Or  cheer  me  in  these  days  of  stress. 

*  At  this  point  there  is  a  break  in  Madame  Ozaki's  MS.,  and  the 
gap  has  been  filled  up  by  another  hand.  Madame  Ozaki  resumes 
her  story  with  *'  A  thrill  passed  through  him  .  .   ."  on  p.  252- 

25I 


A  Cherry-Flower  Idyll 

Now  it  chanced  that  an  old  man  heard  this  mourn- 
ful recital,  and  took  pity  on  Shunko. 

"  Pray  pardon  a  stranger  intruding  upon  your 
privacy,"  said  the  old  man,  "  but  we  sometimes  take 
a  gloomy  view  of  life  for  want  of  good  cheer.  It 
may  be  that  you  have  travelled  far  and  are  footsore 
and  weary.  If  that  is  so,  be  honourably  pleased  to 
accept  rest  and  refreshment  in  my  humble  house  in 
yonder  valley." 

Shunko  was  pleased  with  the  old  man's  kindly 
manner,  and  warmly  accepted  his  hospitality. 

After  a  hearty  meal  and  a  long  chat  with  the  old 
man,  Shunko  retired  to  bed. 

The  youth  had  no  sooner  closed  his  eyes  than  he 
found  himself  dreaming  of  Koganei  and  of  the  beauti- 
ful woman  he  had  met  there.  A  gentle  breeze  was 
full  of  the  scent  of  flowers.  He  noticed  a  cloud  of 
cherry-blossom  falling  like  a  little  company  of  white 
butterflies  to  the  ground.  While  watching  so  pleasing 
a  scene  he  observed  a  strip  of  paper  hanging  to  one 
of  the  lower  branches.  He  advanced  close  to  the 
tree  to  discover  that  some  one  had  written  a  poem 
on  the  wind-blown  paper. 

A  thrill  passed  through  him  as  he  read  the  words  : 


Lingers  still  the  past  within  thy  memory, 
East  of  the  Temple  let  thy  footsteps  stray 
And  there  await  thy  destiny  ! 

Earnestly  he  repeated  the  lines  over  and  over  again, 
252 


A  Cherry-Flower  Idyll 

and  awoke  to  find  himself  still  reciting  the  little  verse 
that  seemed  so  full  of  meaning.  Deeply  he  pondered 
over  his  dream.  How  could  he  solve  the  enigmatic 
message  it  surely  bore  for  him  ?  What  did  it 
portend  ? 

The  next  day  he  set  out  on  his  journey  to  the  west. 
His  father  was  in  the  last  stages  of  his  malady,  and  the 
doctors  had  given  up  all  hope  of  his  recovery.  In  a 
few  weeks  the  old  man  died,  and  Shunko  succeeded  to 
the  estate.  It  was  a  sad  winter,  and  the  young  man 
with  his  widowed  mother,  were  secluded  in  the  house 
for  some  months,  observing  the  strictest  retirement 
during  the  period  of  mourning. 

But  youth  soon  recovers  from  its  griefs,  and  by  the 
time  that  April  had  come  with  the  dear  beguilement 
of  her  blue  skies  and  flowering  landscapes,  Shunko, 
in  company  with  an  old  friend,  set  out  to  assuage  his 
sorrows  in  the  viewing  of  his  favourite  cherry-trees, 
and  to  find  balm  for  his  soul  in  the  golden  sunshine 
of  spring.  His  father's  death,  and  the  business  of 
attending  to  the  affairs  of  succession,  had  left  him  but 
little  leisure  for  vain  regrets,  and  the  family  upheaval 
he  had  experienced  the  last  few  months  had  some- 
what dimmed  the  memory  of  the  mysterious  dream, 
which  had  come  to  him  the  night  before  his  return 
home. 

But  now,  with  a  strange  and  eerie  sensation,  he 
realized  that,  unwittingly,  Fate  had  guided  their 
footsteps  to  the  Eastern  Mountain,  and  that  the  way 
they  had   chosen  was   East  of  the  Temple  Chionin. 

253 


A  Cherry-Flower  Idyll 

The  message  on  the  scroll  flashed  into  his  mind  as  he 
sauntered  along  : 

Lingers  still  the  fast  within  thy  memory  ? 
East  of  the  Temple  let  thy  footsteps  stray, 
And  there  await  thy  destiny  ! 

By  this  time  they  had  reached  the  famous  avenue 
of  cherry-trees,  and  the  pearly  mist  of  bloom,  that 
seemed  to  envelope  them  like  a  fragrant  cloud,  at 
once  recalled  to  Shunko's  mind  how  striking  was  the 
resemblance  this  fairy-like  spot  bore  to  Koganei. 

Just  at  that  moment  he  espied  a  small  glittering 
object  lying  on  the  ground  at  the  root  of  one  of  the 
cherry-trees.  It  proved  to  be  a  golden  ring,  and  en- 
graven on  it  was  the  hieroglyphic  "  Hana,"  which  may 
be  interpreted  as  meaning  either  "  Flower "  or 
"  Cherry-Blossom." 

As  the  afternoon  began  to  wane  they  came  to  a  tea- 
house, which  seemed  to  look  especially  inviting,  and 
here  they  rested  and  refreshed  their  weariness  as  the 
shadows  gradually  lengthened  into  the  twilight. 

In  the  next  room  were  two  or  three  girls'  voices 
talking  gaily  together,  and  their  laughter  sounded  soft 
and  musical  as  it  floated  out  into  the  balmy  air  of 
that  soft  evening  of  spring. 

By  degrees  Shunko  found  himself  overhearing 
snatches  of  their  conversation,  and  at  length  he  dis- 
tinctly caught  the  words  : 

"  The  day  has  been  a  perfect  one  except  for  one 
little  cloud.     O  Hana  San's  ring  .  .  ." 

254 


A  Cherry-Flower  Idyll 

Then  a  silvery  voice  made  answer  :  "  The  mere  loss 
of  the  ring  is  nothing,  but  as  it  bears  my  name,  it 
grieves  me  that  it  should  fall  into  the  hands  of  a 
stranger." 

At  these  words  Shunko  impetuously  rose  and  entered 
the  adjoining  chamber. 

"  Pardon  me,"  he  cried,  "  but  can  this  be  the  lost 
ring  ?  "  and  he  held  out  to  the  little  group  the  trinket 
which  he  had  found  beneath  the  cherry-tree  that 
afternoon. 

The  youngest  of  the  trio,  a  graceful  girl  of  about 
seventeen  or  eighteen  summers,  bowed  to  the  ground, 
murmuring  her  thanks,  while  an  elderly  woman,  who 
was  evidently  her  foster-nurse,  came  forward  to  re- 
ceive the  missing  treasure. 

As  the  young  girl  raised  her  head,  Shunko  felt  a 
thrilling  shock  of  recognition  quiver  through  his  frame. 
At  last  the  gods  had  granted  his  fervent  prayers. 
Before  him,  as  a  living  and  breathing  reality,  he  be- 
held the  long  sought  maiden  of  the  vision  at  Koganei. 
The  room,  its  occupants,  and  all  around  him  faded 
away,  and  his  soul  was  wafted  back  through  the  vista 
of  years  to  the  lonely  valley  of  dreams,  so  far  away. 

This,  then,  was  the  significance  of  the  mystic  writing 
in  the  deserted  house,  that  now  he  had  served  his 
term  of  probation  and  was  at  last  deemed  worthy 
of  the  beloved  one  for  whom  he  had  waited  and  longed 
for  so  many  years. 

The  elderly  nurse  was  aware  of  his  embarrassment, 
and   tactfully   attempted  to  come  to  his   aid.     She 

255 


A  Cherry-Flower  Idyll 

proffered  wine  and  refreshments,  and  made  several 
inquiries  as  to  where  he  had  found  the  ring  and  where 
he  lived. 

After  replying  to  these  queries,  Shunko,  who  was  in 
no  mood  for  talking,  withdrew  with  deep  obeisances, 
and  slowly  wended  his  way  homewards,  lost  in  ab- 
straction. 

Oh,  the  delight  of  it !  To  be  alone  with  his  reverie 
and  thoughts  of  her,  whom  he  had  scarcely  hoped  to 
see  again,  the  lady  of  his  dreams  !  Both  head  and 
heart  were  in  a  whirl.  And  the  wonder  of  his  adven- 
ture kept  him  awake  through  the  midnight  darkness. 
Only  at  the  break  of  dawn  did  he  fall  into  a  troubled 
sleep. 

Towards  noon  his  belated  slumbers  were  disturbed 
by  a  servant,  who  came  to  announce  the  advent  of  a 
visitor,  who  urgently  desired  an  interview.  He  arose 
in  haste,  and  there  awaiting  him  in  the  guest-room 
was  the  foster-nurse  of  the  day  before.  Rich  gifts  of 
silk  lay  on  the  mats,  and  with  the  explanation  that 
she  had  been  sent  by  the  parents  of  her  young  charge, 
she  came  to  express  their  thanks  for  the  incident  of 
the  day  before. 

When  the  formalities  of  greeting  were  exchanged, 
Shunko  could  no  longer  keep  silence  regarding  the 
subject  nearest  his  heart,  and  begged  the  nurse  to  tell 
him,  in  confidence,  all  she  could  concerning  O  Hana 
San. 

"  My  young  mistress  belongs  to  a  knightly  family. 
There  are  three  children  in  all,  but  she  is  the  only  girl, 
256 


A  Cherry-Flower  Idyll 

and  the  youngest  child.  She  is  just  seventeen  years 
of  age,  and  is  quite  renowned  for  her  beauty,  which, 
as  you  have  seen  her,  you  may  perhaps  understand. 
Many  have  ardently  desired  her  hand  in  marriage, 
but  hitherto  all  have  been  declined.  She  cares  nothing 
for  worldly  things  and  devotes  herself  to  study." 

"  Why  does  she  refuse  to  marry  ?  "  asked  the  young 
man,  with  a  beating  heart. 

"  Ah  !  there  is  a  strange  reason  for  that !  "  replied 
the  nurse,  and  her  voice  dropped  to  a  whisper. 
"  Several  years  ago,  when  she  was  not  much  more 
than  a  child,  her  mother  and  I  took  her  to  visit  the 
beautiful  Kiyomidzu  Temple  in  the  springtime  to  see 
the  cherry-flowers.  As  you  know,  Kwannon,  the 
Goddess  of  Mercy  of  that  temple,  takes  under  her 
protection  all  lovers  who  pray  to  her  for  a  happy 
union,  and  the  railings  round  her  shrine  are  white  with 
the  tying  of  paper-prayer  love-knots  innumerable. 
O  Hana's  mother  told  me  afterwards  that  when  we 
passed  before  Kwannon's  altar,  she  had  offered  up  a 
special  prayer  for  her  daughter's  future  happiness  in 
marriage. 

"  While  we  were  walking  in  the  vicinity  of  the  water- 
fall below  the  temple,  we  suddenly  lost  sight  of  Hana 
for  a  few  minutes.  It  seems  that,  wrapt  in  wonder  at 
the  beauty  of  the  blossoming  trees,  she  had  strayed 
away,  and  was  listening  to  the  foaming  water  as  it 
dashed  over  the  boulders  of  rock.  Suddenly,  a  gust 
of  wind  blew  over  us.  It  was  icy  cold  !  We  looked 
round  for  O  Hana  San,  and  you  can  imagine  the  fear 

r  '  257 


A  Cherry-Flower  Idyll 


that  seized  our  hearts  when  we  found  that  she  had 
disappeared.  In  a  frenzy  of  anxiety  I  ran  hither  and 
thither,  and  at  last  caught  sight  of  her  prostrate  on 
the  ground  at  some  distance  away.  She  had  fallen 
into  a  deep  faint  near  the  cascade,  and  was  lying  there 
pale  and  senseless,  and  drenched  with  spray.  We 
carried  her  to  the  nearest  tea-house,  and  tried  every 
means  in  our  power  to  restore  her  to  consciousness, 
but  she  remained  sunk  in  a  deep  swoon  all  through 
that  long,  long  day.  Her  mother  wept,  fearing  that 
she  was  dead.  When  the  sun  set  and  no  change  took 
place,  we  were  lost  in  the  anguish  of  despair.  All  of  a 
sudden  an  old  priest  appeared  before  us.  Staff  in 
hand,  and  clad  in  ancient  and  dilapidated  garments, 
he  seemed  an  apparition  from  some  past  and  bygone 
age.  He  gazed  long  at  the  senseless  girl,  lying  white 
and  cold  in  the  semblance  of  death,  and  then  sank 
on  his  knees  by  her  side,  absorbed  in  silent  prayer, 
now  and  again  gently  stroking  her  inanimate  body 
with  his  rosary. 

"  All  through  the  night  we  watched  thus  by  O  Hana 
San,  and  never  did  hours  seem  so  interminable  or  so 
black.  At  last,  towards  the  dawn,  success  crowned 
the  old  man's  efforts  ;  the  spell  that  had  so  mysteri- 
ously changed  her  youth  and  bloom  into  a  pallid  mask, 
was  gradually  exorcised,  her  spirit  returned,  and  with 
a  gentle  sigh,  O  Hana  San  was  restored  to  life. 

"  Her  mother  was  transported  with  joy.  When  she 
was  able  to  speak,  she  murmured,  '  Praise  be  to  the 
mercy  of  the  holy  Kwannon  of  Kiyomidzu  ! '  and  again 
258 


' 


An  old  priest  suddenly  appeared  .  .  .  staff  in  hand  and  clad  in  ancient  and 

dilapidated  garments. 


A  Cherry-Flower  Idyll 

and  again  she  expressed  her  fervent  gratitude  to  the 
queer  priest. 

"  In  answer  he  took  from  the  folds  of  his  robe  a 
poem-card,  which  he  handed  to  my  mistress. 

"  '  This,'  said  he,  '  was  written  by  your  daughter's 
future  bridegroom.  '  In  a  few  years  he  will  come  to 
claim  her,  therefore  keep  this  poem  as  the  token.' 

"  With  these  words  he  disappeared  as  unexpectedly 
and  mysteriously  as  he  had  come.  Great  was  our  de- 
sire to  know  more  of  the  meaning  of  those  fateful 
words,  but  though  we  made  inquiries  of  everyone  in 
the  temple  grounds,  not  a  soul  had  seen  a  trace  of  the 
ancient  priest.  O  Hana  San  seemed  none  the  worse 
for  her  long  swoon,  and  we  returned  home,  marvelling 
greatly  at  the  extraordinary  events  that  had  happened 
to  us  that  day  and  night  in  the  temple  of  Kiyomidzu. 

"  From  that  time  onwards  I  noticed  a  great  change 
in  O  Hana  San.  She  was  no  longer  a  child.  Though 
only  thirteen  years  of  age,  she  grew  serious  and 
thoughtful,  and  studied  her  books  with  great  diligence. 
In  music  she  especially  excelled,  and  all  were  as- 
tonished at  her  great  talent.  As  she  grew  in  years, 
her  amiability  and  charm  became  quite  noted  in  the 
neighbourhood  :  her  mother  realizes  that  she  is  at  the 
zenith  of  her  youth  and  beauty,  and,  many  a  time, 
has  tried  to  find  the  author  of  the  poem,  but  hitherto 
her  efforts  have  been  of  no  avail. 

"  Yesterday  we  had  the  good  fortune  to  meet  you, 
and  if  you  will  forgive  my  boldness,  it  seemed  to  me 
as  though  Fate  had  especially  directed  you  to  my 

259 


A  Cherry-Flower  Idyll 

foster-child.  On  our  return  home,  we  related  all  that 
had  befallen  us  to  my  mistress.  She  listened  to  our 
recital  with  deep  agitation,  and  then  exclaimed,  with 
joy :  '  Thanks  be  to  Heaven !  At  last  the  long- 
sought  for  one  has  come  ! '  " 

Shunko  felt  as  if  in  a  trance.  Full  well  he  knew  that 
the  Gods  had  guided  his  footsteps  to  their  yearned- 
for  goal,  and  the  maiden  to  whom  he  had  restored  the 
little  golden  circlet,  was  none  other  than  the  one  for 
whom  his  heart  had  hungered  for  many  years. 

It  was,  indeed,  a  supreme  Fate  that  had  linked 
their  lives  in  one. 

In  taking  farewell  of  the  old  nurse,  Shunko  entrusted 
to  her  his  message  to  his  bride-elect — the  mysterious 
token  of  affinity  composed  beneath  the  cherry-tree 
five  years  ago. 

There  was  no  longer  any  doubt  but  that  O  Hana's 
destiny  was  indeed  fulfilled.  The  bridegroom,  fore- 
told by  the  age-old  priest,  had  come  at  last.  Her 
mother's  prayer  offered  up  at  the  temple  of  the  Kwan- 
non  of  Kiyomidzu  had  been  heard.  Both  parents 
rejoiced  at  the  happy  fate  that  the  Powers  above  had 
vouchsafed  to  their  beloved  child,  an  eminent  sooth- 
sayer was  consulted,  and  a  specially  auspicious  day 
was  chosen  for  the  wedding. 

When  the  excitement  of  the  bridal  feast  was  over 
and  Shunko  was  left  alone  with  his  lovely  bride,  he 
noticed  that  her  wedding-robe  of  turquoise  blue, 
scattered  over  with  embroideries  of  her  name-flower, 
was  the  self-same  one  that  had  been  worn  by  his 
260 


A  Cherry-Flower  Iydll 

visionary  hostess  ;  and,  moreover,  comparisons  proved 
that  the  date  of  her  long  trance  at  Kiyomidzu  was 
identical  with  that  of  his  prophetic  vision  at  Koganei. 

A  great  gladness  filled  the  bridegroom's  heart,  for 
he  felt  that  in  some  mystical  way  his  bride  and  dream- 
love  were  one  and  the  same  incarnate.  The  spirit  of 
the  cherry-tree  had  surely  entered  into  Hana  when  she 
had  lost  consciousness  at  the  Kiyomidzu  temple,  and 
En-musubi  no  Kami,  the  God  of  Marriage,  had  as- 
sumed the  disguise  of  the  old  priest,  and  with  the 
magnetic  threads  of  love,  had  woven  their  destinies 
together. 

And  Shunko  tenderly  caressed  his  bride,  saying  : 

"  I  have  known  and  loved  and  waited  for  you  ever 
since  your  spirit  came  to  me  from  the  Kiyomidzu 
temple." 

And  he  told  her  all  that  had  befallen  him  at  Koganei. 

The  young  lovers  thereupon  pledged  their  love  to 
each  other  for  many  lives  to  come,  and  lived  blissfully 
to  the  end  of  their  days. 


261 


The  Badger-Haunted 
Temple 


The  Badger-Haunted 
Temple  * 

ONCE  long  ago,  in  southern  Japan,  in  the  town 
of  Kumamoto,  there  lived  a  young  samurai, 
who  had  a  great  devotion  to  the  sport  of 
fishing.  Armed  with  his  large  basket  and 
tackle,  he  would  often  start  out  in  the  early  morning 
and  pass  the  whole  day  at  his  favourite  pastime, 
returning  home  only  at  nightfall. 

One  fine  day  he  had  more  than  usual  luck.  In  the 
late  afternoon,  when  he  examined  his  basket,  he  found 
it  full  to  overflowing.  Highly  delighted  at  his  success, 
he  wended  his  way  homewards  with  a  light  heart, 
singing  snatches  of  merry  songs  as  he  went  along. 

It  was  already  dusk  when  he  happened  to  pass  a 
deserted  Buddhist  temple.  He  noticed  that  the  gate 
stood  half  open,  and  hung  loosely  on  its  rusty  hinges, 
and  the  whole  place  had  a  dilapidated  and  tumble- 
down appearance. 

What  was  the  young  man's  astonishment  to  see, 
in  striking  contrast  to  such  a  forlorn  environment, 
a  pretty  young  girl  standing  just  within  the  gate. 

As  he  approached  she  came  forward,  and  looking  at 
him  with  a  meaning  glance,  smiled,  as  if  inviting  him 
to  enter  into  conversation.     The  samurai  thought  her 

*  The  badger  and  the  fox  as  tricksters  figure  largely  in  Japanese 
superstition  and  folk-lore. 

265 


The  Badger-Haunted  Temple 

manner  somewhat  strange,  and  at  first  was  on  his 
guard.  Some  mysterious  influence,  however,  com- 
pelled him  to  stop,  and  he  stood  irresolutely  admiring 
the  fair  young  face,  blooming  like  a  flower  in  its  sombre 
setting. 

When  she  noticed  his  hesitation  she  made  a  sign 
to  him  to  approach.  Her  charm  was  so  great  and  the 
smile  with  which  she  accompanied  the  gesture  so 
irresistible,  that  half-unconsciously,  he  went  up  the 
stone  steps,  passed  through  the  semi-open  portal, 
and  entered  the  courtyard  where  she  stood  awaiting 
him. 

The  maiden  bowed  courteously,  then  turned  and 
led  the  way  up  the  stone-flagged  pathway  to  the 
temple.  The  whole  place  was  in  the  most  woeful 
condition,  and  looked  as  if  it  had  been  abandoned  for 
many  years. 

When  they  reached  what  had  once  been  the  priest's 
house,  the  samurai  saw  that  the  interior  of  the  building 
was  in  a  better  state  of  preservation  than  the  outside 
led  one  to  suppose.  Passing  along  the  veranda  into 
the  front  room,  he  noticed  that  the  tatami  were  still 
presentable,  and  that  a  sixfold  screen  adorned  the 
chamber. 

The  girl  gracefully  motioned  her  guest  to  sit  down 
in  the  place  of  honour  near  the  alcove. 

"  Does  the  priest  of  the  temple  live  here  ?  "  asked 
the  young  man,  seating  himself. 

"  No,"  answered  the  girl,  "  there  is  no  priest  here 
now.  My  mother  and  I  only  came  here  yesterday. 
266 


What  was  the  young.man's  astonishment  to  see  a  pretty  young  eirl 
standing  just  within  the  gate 


."■■• 

•  *  c  r 

»  » 

«  *    «  « 

a  ••  4 

•  C  t    € 

m  t  •  • 

<  *  . 
*         c 

t  «  t 
«         < 

a 

c 

«     c 

r  c  c  c 

• 

•  •  •  * 

•  ••• 

* 
l 
*  c  «« 

•  «  •  • 

•  ••  t 

V:. 

•  •  • 

t 

The  Badger- Haunted  Temple 

She  has  gone  to  the  next  village  to  buy  some  things 
and  may  not  be  able  to  come  back  to-night.  But 
honourably  rest  awhile,  and  let  me  give  you  some  re- 
freshment." 

The  girl  then  went  into  the  kitchen  apparently  to 
make  the  tea,  but  though  the  guest  waited  a  long  time, 
she  never  returned. 

By  this  time  the  moon  had  risen,  and  shone  so 
brightly  into  the  room,  that  it  was  as  light  as  day. 
The  samurai  began  to  wonder  at  the  strange  behaviour 
of  the  damsel,  who  had  inveigled  him  into  such  a  place 
only  to  disappear  and  leave  him  in  solitude. 

Suddenly  he  was  startled  by  some  one  sneezing 
loudly  behind  the  screen.  He  turned  his  head  in  the 
direction  from  whence  the  sound  came.  To  his  utter 
amazement,  not  the  pretty  girl  whom  he  had  expected, 
but  a  huge,  red-faced,  bald-headed  priest  stalked  out 
He  must  have  been  about  seven  feet  in  height,  for  his 
head  towered  nearly  to  the  ceiling,  and  he  carried  an 
iron  wand,  which  he  raised  in  a  threatening  manner. 

"  How  dare  you  enter  my  house  without  my  per- 
mission ?  "  shouted  the  fierce-looking  giant.  "  Unless 
you  go  away  at  once  I  will  beat  you  into  dust." 

Frightened  out  of  his  wits,  the  young  man  took  to 
his  heels,  and  rushed  with  all  speed  out  of  the  temple. 

As  he  fled  across  the  courtyard  he  heard  peals  of 
loud  laughter  behind  him.  Once  outside  the  gate  he 
stopped  to  listen,  and  still  the  strident  laugh  continued. 
Suddenly  it  occurred  to  him,  that  in  the  alarm  of  his 
hasty  exit,  he  had  forgotten  his  basket  of  fish.     It  was 

267 


The  Badger-Haunted  Temple 


left  behind  in  the  temple.  Great  was  his  chagrin, 
for  never  before  had  he  caught  so  much  fish  in  a  single 
day  ;  but  lacking  the  courage  to  go  back  and  demand 
it,  there  was  no  alternative  but  to  return  home  empty- 
handed. 

The  following  day  he  related  his  strange  experience 
to  several  of  his  friends.  They  were  all  highly  amused 
at  such  an  adventure,  and  some  of  them  plainly  inti- 
mated that  the  seductive  maiden  and  the  aggressive 
giant  were  merely  hallucinations  that  owed  their 
origin  to  the  sake  flask. 

At  last  one  man,  who  was  a  good  fencer,  said  : 

"  Oh,  you  must  have  been  deluded  by  a  badger 
who  coveted  your  fish.  No  one  lives  in  that  temple. 
It  has  been  deserted  ever  since  I  can  remember. 
I  will  go  there  this  evening  and  put  an  end  to  his 
mischief." 

He  then  went  to  a  fishmonger,  purchased  a  large 
basket  of  fish,  and  borrowed  an  angling  rod.  Thus 
equipped,  he  waited  impatiently  for  the  sun  to  set. 
When  the  dusk  began  to  fall  he  buckled  on  his  sword 
and  set  out  for  the  temple,  carefully  shouldering  his 
bait  that  was  to  lead  to  the  undoing  of  the  badger. 
He  laughed  confidently  to  himself  as  he  said :  "  I  will 
teach  the  old  fellow  a  lesson  !  " 

As  he  approached  the  ruin  what  was  his  surprise 
to  see,  not  one,  but  three  girls  standing  there. 

"  O,  ho  !  that  is  the  way  the  wind  lies,  is  it,  but  the 
crafty  old  sinner  won't  find  it  such  an  easy  matter 
to  make  a  fool  of  me." 
268 


The  Badger- Haunted  Temple 

No  sooner  was  he  observed  by  the  pretty  trio  than 
by  gestures  they  invited  him  to  enter.  Without  any 
hesitation,  he  followed  them  into  the  building,  and 
boldly  seated  himself  upon  the  mats.  They  placed 
the  customary  tea  and  cakes  before  him,  and  then 
brought  in  a  flagon  of  wine  and  an  extraordinarily 
large  cup. 

The  swordsman  partook  neither  of  the  tea  nor  the 
sake,  and  shrewdly  watched  the  demeanour  of  the 
three  maidens. 

Noticing  his  avoidance  of  the  proffered  refreshment, 
the  prettiest  of  them  artlessly  inquired  : 

"  Why  don't  you  take  some  sake  ?  " 

"  I  dislike  both  tea  and  sake,"  replied  the  valiant 
guest,  "  but  if  you  have  some  accomplishment  to  enter- 
tain me  with,  if  you  can  dance  or  sing,  I  shall  be  de- 
lighted to  see  you  perform." 

"  Oh,  what  an  old-fashioned  man  of  propriety  you 
are  !  If  you  don't  drink,  you  surely  know  nothing  of 
love  either.  What  a  dull  existence  yours  must  be  ! 
But  we  can  dance  a  little,  so  if  you  will  condescend  to 
look,  we  shall  be  very  pleased  to  try  to  amuse  you  with 
our  performance,  poor  as  it  is." 

The  maidens  then  opened  their  fans  and  began  to 
posture  and  dance.  They  exhibited  so  much  skill 
and  grace,  however,  that  the  swordsman  was  as- 
tonished, for  it  was  unusual  that  country  girls  should 
be  so  deft  and  well-trained.  As  he  watched  them  he 
became  more  and  more  fascinated,  and  gradually  lost 
sight  of  the  object  of  his  mission. 

269 


The  Badger- Haunted  Temple 

Lost  in  admiration,  he  followed  their  every  step, 
their  every  movement,  and  as  the  Japanese  story- 
teller says,  he  forgot  himself  entirely,  entranced  at  the 
beauty  of  their  dancing. 

Suddenly  he  saw  that  the  three  performers  had 
become  headless!  Utterly  bewildered,  he  gazed  at 
them  intently  to  make  sure  that  he  was  not  dream- 
ing. Lo  !  and  behold !  each  was  holding  her  own 
head  in  her  hands.  They  then  threw  them  up  and 
caught  them  as  they  fell.  Like  children  playing  a 
game  of  ball,  they  tossed  their  heads  from  one  to  the 
other.  At  last  the  boldest  of  the  three  threw  her  head 
at  the  young  fencer.  It  fell  on  his  knees,  looked  up 
in  his  face,  and  laughed  at  him.  Angered  at  the  girl's 
impertinence,  he  cast  the  head  back  at  her  in  disgust, 
and  drawing  his  sword,  made  several  attempts  to  cut 
down  the  goblin  dancer  as  she  glided  to  and  fro  play- 
fully tossing  up  her  head  and  catching  it. 

But  she  was  too  quick  for  him,  and  like  lightning 
darted  out  of  the  reach  of  his  sword. 

"  Why  don't  you  catch  me  ?  "  she  jeered  mockingly. 
Mortified  at  his  failure,  he  made  another  desperate 
attempt,  but  once  more  she  adroitly  eluded  him,  and 
sprang  up  to  the  top  of  the  screen. 

"  I  am  here  !  Can  you  not  reach  me  this  time  ?  " 
and  she  laughed  at  him  in  derision. 

Again  he  made  a  thrust  at  her,  but  she  proved  far 
too  nimble  for  him,  and  again,  for  the  third  time,  he 
was  foiled. 

Then  the  three  girls  tossed  their  heads  on  their 
270 


The  Badger-Haunted  Temple 

respective  necks,  shook  them  at  him,  and  with  shouts 
of  weird  laughter  they  vanished  from  sight. 

As  the  young  man  came  to  his  senses  he  vaguely 
gazed  around.  Bright  moonlight  illumined  the  whole 
place,  and  the  stillness  of  the  midnight  was  unbroken 
save  for  the  thin  tinkling  chirping  of  the  insects.  He 
shivered  as  he  realized  the  lateness  of  the  hour  and  the 
wild  loneliness  of  that  uncanny  spot.  His  basket  of 
fish  was  nowhere  to  be  seen.  He  understood,  that  he, 
too,  had  come  under  the  spell  of  the  wizard-badger, 
and  like  his  friend,  at  whom  he  had  laughed  so  heartily 
the  day  before,  he  had  been  bewitched  by  the  wily 
creature. 

But,  although  deeply  chagrined  at  having  fallen 
such  an  easy  dupe,  he  was  powerless  to  take  any  sort 
of  revenge.  The  best  he  could  do  was  to  accept  his 
defeat  and  return  home. 

Among  his  friends  there  was  a  doctor,  who  was  not 
only  a  brave  man,  but  one  full  of  resource.  On  hearing 
of  the  way  the  mortified  swordsman  had  been  bam- 
boozled, he  said  : 

"  Now  leave  this  to  me.  Within  three  days  I  will 
catch  that  old  badger  and  punish  him  well  for  all  his 
diabolical  tricks." 

The  doctor  went  home  and  prepared  a  savoury  dish 
cooked  with  meat.  Into  this  he  mixed  some  deadly 
poison.  He  then  cooked  a  second  portion  for  himself. 
Taking  these  separate  dishes  and  a  bottle  of  sake  with 
him,  towards  evening  he  set  out  for  the  ruined  temple. 

When  he  reached  the  mossy  courtyard  of  the  old 

271 


The  Badger- Haunted  Temple 

building  he  found  it  solitary  and  deserted.  Following 
the  example  of  his  friends,  he  made  his  way  into  the 
priest's  room,  intensely  curious  to  see  what  might 
befall  him,  but,  contrary  to  his  expectation,  all  was 
empty  and  still.  He  knew  that  goblin-badgers  were 
such  crafty  animals  that  it  was  almost  impossible  for 
anyone,  however  cautious,  to  be  able  to  cope  success- 
fully with  their  snares  and  Fata  Morganas.  But  he 
determined  to  be  particularly  wide  awake  and  on  his 
guard,  so  as  not  to  fall  a  prey  to  any  hallucination 
that  the  badger  might  raise. 

jH  The  night  was  beautiful,  and  calm  as  the  mouldering 
tombs  in  the  temple  graveyard.  The  full  moon  shone 
brightly  over  the  great  black  sloping  roofs,  and  cast  a 
flood  of  light  into  the  room  where  the  doctor  was 
patiently  awaiting  the  mysterious  foe.  The  minutes 
went  slowly  by,  an  hour  elapsed,  and  still  no  ghostly 
visitant  appeared.  At  last  the  baffled  intruder  placed 
his  flask  of  wine  before  him  and  began  to  make  pre- 
parations for  his  evening  meal,  thinking  that  possibly 
the  badger  might  be  unable  to  resist  the  tempting 
savour  of  the  food. 

"  There  is  nothing  like  solitude,"  he  mused  aloud. 
"  What  a  perfect  night  it  is  !  How  lucky  I  am  to 
have  found  this  deserted  temple  from  which  to  view 
the  silvery  glory  of  the  autumn  moon." 

For  some  time  he  continued  to  eat  and  drink,  smack- 
ing his  lips  like  a  country  gourmet  in  enjoyment  of  the 
meal.  He  began  to  think  that  the  badger,  knowing 
that  he  had  found  his  match  at  last,  intended  to  leave 
272 


Suddenly  he  saw  that  the  three  performers  had  become  headless  !  .  .  .     Like  children 
playing  a  game  of  ball,  they  tossed  their  heads  from  one  to  the  other 


The  Badger- Haunted  Temple 

him  alone.  Then  to  his  delight,  he  heard  the  sound 
of  footsteps.  He  watched  the  entrance  to  the  room, 
expecting  the  old  wizard  to  assume  his  favourite  dis- 
guise, and  that  some  pretty  maiden  would  come  to 
cast  a  spell  upon  him  with  her  fascinations. 

But,  to  his  surprise,  who  should  come  into  sight  but 
an  old  priest,  who  dragged  himself  into  the  room  with 
faltering  steps  and  sank  down  upon  the  mats  with  a 
deep  long-drawn  sigh  of  weariness.  Apparently  be- 
tween seventy  and  eighty  years  of  age,  his  clothes 
were  old  and  travel-stained,  and  in  his  withered  hands 
he  carried  a  rosary.  The  effort  of  ascending  the  steps 
had  evidently  been  a  great  trial  to  him,  he  breathed 
heavily  and  seemed  in  a  state  of  great  exhaustion. 
His  whole  appearance  was  one  to  arouse  pity  in  the 
heart  of  the  beholder. 

"  May  I  inquire  who  are  you  ?  "  asked  the 
doctor. 

The  old  man  replied,  in  a  quavering  voice,  "  I  am 
the  priest  who  used  to  live  here  many  years  ago  when 
the  temple  was  in  a  prosperous  condition.  As  a  youth 
I  received  my  training  here  under  the  abbot  then  in 
charge,  having  been  dedicated  from  childhood  to  the 
service  of  the  most  holy  Buddha  by  my  parents. 
At  the  time  of  the  great  Saigo's  rebellion  I  was  sent 
to  another  parish.  When  the  castle  of  Kumamoto 
was  besieged,  alas  !  my  own  temple  was  burned  to  the 
ground.  For  years  I  wandered  from  place  to  place 
and  fell  on  very  hard  times.  In  my  old  age  and  mis- 
fortunes my  heart  at  last  yearned  to  come  back  to  this 

s  273 


The  Badger- Haunted  Temple 

temple,  where  I  spent  so  many  happy  years  as  an 
acolyte.  It  is  my  hope  to  spend  my  last  days  here. 
You  can  imagine  my  grief  when  I  found  it  utterly 
abandoned,  sunk  in  decay,  with  no  priest  in  charge 
to  offer  up  the  daily  prayers  to  the  Lord  Buddha,  or  to 
keep  up  the  rites  for  the  dead  buried  here.  It  is  now 
my  sole  desire  to  collect  money  and  to  restore  the 
temple.  But  alas  !  age  and  illness  and  want  of  food 
have  robbed  me  of  my  strength,  and  I  fear  that  I  shall 
never  be  able  to  achieve  what  I  have  planned,"  and 
here  the  old  man  broke  down  and  shed  tears — a  pitiful 
sight. 

When  wiping  his  eyes  with  the  sleeve  of  his  thread- 
bare robe,  he  looked  hungrily  at  the  food  and  wine  on 
which  the  doctor  was  regaling  himself,  and  added, 
wistfully  : 

"  Ah,  I  see  you  have  a  delicious  meal  there  and  wine 
withal,  which  you  are  enjoying  while  gazing  at  the 
moonlit  scenery.  I  pray  you  spare  me  a  little,  for  it 
is  many  days  since  I  have  had  a  good  meal  and  I  am 
half-famished." 

At  first  the  doctor  was  persuaded  that  the  story  was 
true,  so  plausible  did  it  sound,  and  his  heart  was  filled 
with  compassion  for  the  old  bonze.  He  listened  care- 
fully till  the  melancholy  recital  was  finished. 

Then  something  in  the  accent  of  speech  struck  his 
ear  as  being  different  to  that  of  a  human  being,  and  he 
reflected. 

"  This  may  be  the  badger  !  I  must  not  allow  my- 
self to  be  deceived  !  The  crafty  cunning  animal  is 
274 


The  Badger- Haunted  Temple 

planning  to  palm  off  his  customary  tricks  on  me,  but 
he  shall  see  that  I  am  as  clever  as  he  is." 

The  doctor  pretended  to  believe  in  the  old  man's 
story,  and  answered  : 

"  Indeed,  I  deeply  sympathize  with  your  misfor- 
tunes. You  are  quite  welcome  to  share  my  meal — 
nay,  I  will  give  you  with  pleasure  all  that  is  left,  and, 
moreover,  I  promise  to  bring  you  some  more  to- 
morrow. I  will  also  inform  my  friends  and  acquaint- 
ances of  your  pious  plan  to  restore  the  temple,  and  will 
give  all  the  assistance  in  my  power  in  your  work  of 
collecting  subscriptions."  He  then  pushed  forward 
the  untouched  plate  of  food  which  contained  poison, 
rose  from  the  mats,  and  took  his  leave,  promising  to 
return  the  next  evening. 

All  the  friends  of  the  doctor  who  had  heard  him 
boast  that  he  would  outwit  the  badger,  arrived  early 
next  morning,  curious  to  know  what  had  befallen  him. 
Many  of  them  were  very  sceptical  regarding  the  tale 
of  the  badger  trickster,  and  ascribed  the  illusions  of 
their  friends  to  the  sake  bottle. 

The  doctor  would  give  no  answer  to  their  many  in- 
quiries, but  merely  invited  them  to  accompany  him. 

"  Come  and  see  for  yourselves,"  he  said,  and  guided 
them  to  the  old  temple,  the  scene  of  so  many  uncanny 
experiences. 

First  of  all  they  searched  the  room  where  he  had  sat 
the  evening  before,  but  nothing  was  to  be  found  except 
the  empty  basket  in  which  he  had  carried  the  food 
for  himself  and  the  badger.     They  investigated  the 

275 


The  Badger- Haunted  Temple 

whole  place  thoroughly,  and  at  last,  in  one  of  the  dark 
corners  of  the  temple-chamber,  they  came  upon  the 
dead  body  of  an  old,  old  badger.  It  was  the  size  of  a 
large  dog,  and  its  hair  was  grey  with  age.  Everyone 
was  convinced  that  it  must  be  at  least  several  hundred 
years  old. 

The  doctor  carried  it  home  in  triumph.  For  several 
days  the  people  in  the  neighbourhood  came  in  large 
numbers  to  gloat  over  the  hoary  carcase,  and  to  listen 
in  awe  and  wonder  to  the  marvellous  stories  of  the 
numbers  of  people  that  had  been  duped  and  befooled 
by  the  magic  powers  of  the  old  goblin-badger. 

The  writer  adds  that  he  was  told  another  badger 
story  concerning  the  same  temple.  Many  of  the  old 
people  in  the  parish  remember  the  incident,  and  one 
of  them  related  the  following  story. 

Years  before,  when  the  sacred  building  was  still  in  a 
prosperous  state,  the  priest  in  charge  celebrated  a  great 
Buddhist  festival,  which  lasted  some  days.  Amongst 
the  numerous  devotees  who  attended  the  services  he 
noticed  a  very  handsome  youth,  who  listened  with 
profound  reverence,  unusual  in  one  so  young,  to  the 
sermons  and  litanies.  When  the  festival  was  over 
and  the  other  worshippers  had  gone,  he  lingered  around 
the  temple  as  though  loth  to  leave  the  sacred  spot. 
The  head-priest,  who  had  conceived  a  liking  for  the 
lad,  judged  from  his  refined  and  dignified  appearance 
that  he  must  be  the  son  of  a  high-class  samurai  family, 
probably  desirous  of  entering  the  priesthood. 

Gratified  by  the  youth's  apparent  religious  fervour, 
276 


In  one  of  the  dark  corners  of  the  temple-chamber,  they  came  upon  the 
dead  body  of  an  old,  old  badger 


/ 


The  Badger- Haunted  Temple 


the  holy  man  invited  him  to  come  to  his  study,  and 
thereupon  gave  him  some  instruction  in  the  Buddhist 
doctrines.  He  listened  with  the  utmost  attention  for 
the  whole  afternoon  to  the  bonze's  learned  discourse, 
and  thanked  him  repeatedly  for  the  condescension  and 
trouble  he  had  taken  in  instructing  one  so  unworthy  as 
himself. 

The  afternoon  waned  and  the  hour  for  the  evening 
meal  came  round.  The  priest  ordered  a  bowl  of 
macaroni  to  be  brought  for  the  visitor,  who 
proved  to  be  the  owner  of  a  phenomenal  appetite, 
and  consumed  three  times  as  much  as  a  full-grown 
man. 

He  then  bowed  most  courteously  and  asked  per- 
mission to  return  home.  In  bidding  him  good-bye,  the 
priest,  who  felt  a  curious  fascination  for  the  youth, 
presented  him  with  a  gold-lacquered  medicine-box 
{inro)  as  a  parting  souvenir. 

The  lad  prostrated  himself  in  gratitude,  and  then 
took  his  departure. 

The  next  day  the  temple  servant,  sweeping  the 
graveyard,  came  across  a  badger.  He  was  quite  dead, 
and  was  dressed  in  a  straw-covering  put  on  in  such  a 
way  as  to  resemble  the  clothes  of  a  human  being. 
To  his  side  was  tied  a  gold-lacquered  inro,  and  his 
paunch  was  much  distended  and  as  round  as  a  large 
bowl.  It  was  evident  that  the  creature's  gluttony 
had  been  the  cause  of  his  death,  and  the  priest,  on  see- 
ing the  animal,  identified  the  inro  as  the  one  which  he 
had   bestowed   upon    the   good-looking   lad    the   day 

2*7  *7 


The  Badger- Haunted  Temple 

before,  and  knew  that  he  had  been  the  victim  of  a 
badger's  deceiving  wiles. 

It  was  thus  certain  that  the  temple  had  been  haunted 
by  a  pair  of  goblin-badgers,  and  that  when  this  one 
had  died,  its  mate  had  continued  to  inhabit  the  same 
temple  even  after  it  had  been  abandoned.  The 
creature  had  evidently  taken  a  fantastic  delight  in 
bewitching  wayfarers  and  travellers,  or  anyone  who 
carried  delectable  food  with  them,  and  while  mystify- 
ing them  with  his  tricks  and  illusions,  had  deftly  ab- 
stracted their  baskets  and  bundles,  and  had  lived 
comfortably  upon  his  stolen  booty. 


278 


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14  DAY  USE 

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THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


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